Nigeria's Youngest Serving Port Manager: Mrs Kenechi Edith Okezie

On October 31, 1975, Mrs Kenechi Edith Okezie was born to the family of Elder and Mrs Godfrey Ogbuefi, natives of Awka-Etiti, Idemili South

Local Government Area, Anambra State.

She had her Primary School Education at Saint Catherine’s Model School, Surulere, Lagos between 1979-1986 and thereafter, proceeded to the Federal Government College, Onitsha in Anambra State where she had her secondary school education from 1986 - 1992. Between 1993 – 1997, she had her Tertiary Education at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State and graduated with a B.Sc. Degree in Marketing. In1998, she had her Youth Service at the Pacific Merchant Bank, Lagos Street, Kano State. 

Fuelled by her passion for more knowledge, she immediately went in for a Masters Degree at the University of Lagos, Akoka between 2000 – 2001 and graduated with an MBA in Business Administration. 

Okezie’s first job was with the Standard Trust Bank now the United Bank of Africa (UBA) in 2001 where she was until November, 2001 when she got employed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Her career in Nigerian Ports Authority started on November 27, 2001, she was employed as a Senior Marketing Officer in the Marketing Department at Tin-Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos. At Tin-Can Island Port, she worked in different sections and capacities from 2001 till 2013 and was later deployed to the Corporate Headquarters, Marina, Lagos.

While still at Tin-Can Port, she obtained a Professional Post Graduate Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management in 2011 from the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, Zaria and was the best graduating student of the year.

After six years at the NPA headquarters, she was posted to Lagos Port Complex in August, 2019 where she worked in the office of 26^th Port Manager of the Lagos Port Complex, Mrs Olufumilayo Bolanle Olotu.

She was later redeployed to the Corporate Headquarters in February, 2023 to her Department, the Monitoring and Regulatory Services Division, where she was until June, 2023 when the present Port Manager of the Lagos Port Complex – Mr Charles Bamidele Okaga (the 27^th Port Manager of LPC) engaged her as his Personal Assistant.  She served in that capacity until 27^th December, 2023 when she was appointed the Port Manager of the Rivers Port Complex, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Mrs Kenechi Edith Okezie is presently the youngest Port Manager with the Nigerian Ports Authority, and also the only female Port Manager in the present administration.

In her 22 years in Nigerian Ports Authority, she has served in numerous committees and in different capacities which include:

• Secretary of the Voyage Meeting Reconciliation Committee for over 5 years
• Administrative Secretary of three (3) Directorate Retreat Committees
• Secretariat/Member of NPA’s Handbook Committee (2017-2019)
• Served as member and secretary of various Committees at the Headquarters and Ports
• Rapporteur at the 2018 International African Ports & Harbours (IAPH) Conference, Abuja
• Representative at the Steering Committee on the African Continental Trade Area (AFCFTA)
• Committee on SOPs for Towage Operations

Other Committees include NIMAREX, NIMPORT etc.

Kenechi Edith Okezie is married to her course-mate and friend of 29 years and blessed with two (2) beautiful daughters.