The Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC) has appointed renowned public-private partnership (PPP) and infrastructure specialist, Dr. Emmanuel Onwodi, as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).
The appointment is expected to strengthen the company’s executive leadership as it advances the development and management of the critical Benin-Asaba highway corridor.
Onwodi, a chartered accountant and infrastructure finance specialist, is a former senior official of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC). He brings more than 25 years of professional experience spanning infrastructure development, concession management, project finance, risk management, transport and logistics.
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In his new role, Onwodi will support the operational execution of the Benin-Asaba Expressway concession, with responsibility for strengthening project delivery, coordinating key stakeholders and supporting the implementation of BAECC’s long-term objectives.
His mandate will also include promoting operational efficiency, safeguarding the integrity of the concession framework and strengthening collaboration among government institutions, investors, contractors, lenders, host communities and other stakeholders involved in the project.
The appointment brings to BAECC an executive whose career has largely focused on the intersection of government policy, private capital and major infrastructure development.
Extensive Academic and Professional Background
Onwodi holds a Ph.D. in Risk Management in Public-Private Partnerships, with research focused on contingent liability risk. He also holds an M.Sc. in Risk Management from Birmingham City University in the United Kingdom and a B.A. in International Accounting from the University of Northampton, UK.
He further holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, Zaria.
His professional qualifications span accounting, finance, infrastructure, logistics and management. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT).
He is also a Certified Public-Private Partnership Professional (CP3P), Chartered Financial Consultant (CFC) and Chartered Management Consultant (Ch.MC), among other professional memberships and fellowships.
Experience in Infrastructure and PPP Development
Onwodi spent about 14 years in senior positions at the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, where he rose to director-level positions with responsibilities covering Transport Infrastructure, Planning, Research and Statistics, and Special Projects.
During his public-sector career, he participated in the development, review and implementation of major PPP and infrastructure initiatives involving roads, railways, ports, aviation, energy, real estate and social infrastructure.
His experience includes the structuring and negotiation of concession arrangements, project finance, financial modelling, risk allocation, contingent liabilities and the development of frameworks aimed at improving the bankability and long-term sustainability of infrastructure projects.
Among the major policy initiatives associated with his career are contributions to the Nigerian Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, the National Infrastructure Financing Policy and guidelines supporting PPP implementation across Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
He has also worked on alternative infrastructure financing initiatives, including serving on an inter-agency committee involved in developing Nigeria’s Sukuk bond framework, designed to expand access to capital for infrastructure development.
In the transport sector, his experience covers road concessions, national tolling frameworks, railway development, deep-sea ports, dry ports, truck transit parks and aviation infrastructure.
He participated in the negotiation and structuring of the Eastern and Western Railway concessions, valued at more than $2.2 billion, as well as work relating to high-speed rail business cases and transaction advisory.
His maritime infrastructure experience includes work connected with frameworks for the Badagry Deep-Sea Port, Ibom Deep-Sea Port and Bakassi Port, alongside broader maritime and logistics policy initiatives.
Onwodi has also been involved in PPP structuring and financial modelling for aviation and airport infrastructure, independent power projects, hydropower risk allocation and other energy-sector transactions.
His experience extends to urban and social infrastructure projects, including initiatives relating to the National Theatre concession, Federal Secretariat PPP and infrastructure models in the health and education sectors.
Infrastructure Finance and Capacity Development
In infrastructure finance and investment, Onwodi has participated in transactions designed to mobilise private capital for public projects, including the structuring of a transaction that attracted more than N41 billion in private investment into a single project.
He also contributed to the development of Direct Negotiation guidelines intended to reduce transaction timelines and associated costs in infrastructure procurement.
Beyond project development, Onwodi has developed a profile in professional education and capacity building.
He currently serves as Director of Programme and Capacity Building for the PPP Practitioners Association of Nigeria (P3PAN) and is Branch Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Abuja.
He has delivered presentations and participated in professional engagements on PPPs, infrastructure finance, transport, risk management and concession development in Nigeria and internationally.
His engagements have included platforms associated with the World Association of Public-Private Partnerships, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and international conferences of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.
He has also participated in conferences and professional programmes across Africa, Europe and North America and has appeared on television and other media platforms to discuss infrastructure, PPPs and economic policy.
Role in the Benin-Asaba Expressway Project
BAECC said Onwodi’s combination of public-sector experience, private infrastructure knowledge, financial expertise and familiarity with complex concession arrangements would support the company’s efforts to deliver the Benin-Asaba Expressway project.
His appointment comes at an important stage in the development of the corridor, where coordination among the concessionaire, government institutions, contractors, financiers, communities and road users remains central to successful delivery.
The Benin-Asaba Expressway is being developed under a public-private partnership concession and serves as an important transport link connecting Edo and Delta states while facilitating the movement of people and goods across major parts of southern Nigeria.
The scale and long-term nature of the project require not only engineering capacity but also effective concession management, financing, risk allocation, logistics, stakeholder engagement and operational coordination.
These areas form a substantial part of Onwodi’s professional background.
The new COO has consistently advocated an approach to infrastructure development centred on balanced risk allocation, transparent partnerships and effective project execution.
“Infrastructure is the bridge between vision and prosperity. Through balanced risk, transparent partnership, and rigorous execution, we turn concession agreements into lasting public value — for generations to come,” Onwodi said.
As Chief Operating Officer, he is expected to bring this philosophy into the day-to-day management of the concession while strengthening systems for monitoring project execution and coordinating the various interests involved in delivering the highway.
His responsibilities will include supporting timely project delivery, promoting adherence to contractual and operational requirements, strengthening stakeholder relationships and helping ensure that the concession delivers sustainable value for road users, investors and the wider economy.
The company said the appointment reinforces its commitment to assembling the professional and technical leadership required to deliver the expressway to the standards expected of a major national infrastructure project.
With Onwodi joining its executive leadership, BAECC said its immediate priority remains effective execution of the concession and constructive engagement with stakeholders towards delivering a safe, efficient and modern Benin-Asaba Expressway.
