Brings Over 25 Years’ Experience in PPP, Infrastructure Finance, Transport and Concession Management
The Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC) has appointed renowned Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and infrastructure specialist, Dr. Emmanuel Onwodi, as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO).
The appointment strengthens the company’s executive leadership as it moves forward with the development, management and operational execution of the strategic Benin-Asaba Expressway corridor, a major transport link connecting Edo and Delta states and facilitating the movement of people and goods across southern Nigeria.
Onwodi, a chartered accountant and infrastructure finance specialist, brings more than 25 years of professional experience spanning infrastructure development, concession management, project finance, risk management, transport, logistics and public-private partnerships.
A former senior official of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), he spent about 14 years at the agency, rising to director-level positions with responsibilities covering Transport Infrastructure, Planning, Research and Statistics, and Special Projects.
In his new capacity at BAECC, Onwodi is expected to provide strategic and operational leadership for the concession, while coordinating key stakeholders and supporting the implementation of the company’s long-term objectives.
His mandate includes strengthening project delivery, improving operational efficiency, maintaining the integrity of the concession framework and deepening collaboration among government institutions, investors, contractors, financiers, host communities, road users and other stakeholders.
His appointment brings to the company extensive experience at the intersection of government policy, private capital mobilisation and large-scale infrastructure development.
Strong Academic and Professional Credentials
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, United Kingdom, and a B.A. in International Accounting from the University of Northampton, UK.
He further obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, Zaria.
His professional qualifications cut across accounting, finance, infrastructure, logistics and management. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and 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.
Extensive Infrastructure and PPP Experience
During his tenure at the ICRC, Onwodi participated in the development, review and implementation of major PPP and infrastructure initiatives covering roads, railways, ports, aviation, energy, real estate and social infrastructure.
His expertise includes concession structuring and negotiation, project finance, financial modelling, risk allocation, contingent liabilities and the development of frameworks designed to improve the bankability and long-term sustainability of infrastructure projects.
He contributed to major national policy initiatives, including the Nigerian Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, the National Infrastructure Financing Policy and guidelines supporting PPP implementation across Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Onwodi also served on the inter-agency committee involved in developing Nigeria’s Sukuk bond framework, designed to expand alternative sources of financing for infrastructure development.
His transport-sector experience spans 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 assignments involving high-speed rail business cases and transaction advisory.
His maritime infrastructure portfolio includes work connected with frameworks for the Badagry Deep-Sea Port, Ibom Deep-Sea Port and Bakassi Port, alongside wider maritime and logistics policy initiatives.
He 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, including projects relating to the National Theatre concession, Federal Secretariat PPP, as well as infrastructure models in the health and education sectors.
Mobilising Private Capital for Infrastructure
In infrastructure finance and investment, Onwodi has participated in transactions aimed at mobilising private capital for public projects, including the structuring of a transaction that attracted more than ₦41 billion in private investment into a single project.
He also contributed to the development of Direct Negotiation guidelines aimed at reducing transaction timelines and associated costs in infrastructure procurement.
Beyond project development and transaction structuring, Onwodi has developed a strong 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 professional 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 professional programmes and conferences across Africa, Europe and North America and has featured on television and other media platforms discussing infrastructure, PPPs and economic policy.
Driving the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession
BAECC said Onwodi’s combination of public-sector experience, private infrastructure knowledge, financial expertise and familiarity with complex concession arrangements would strengthen the company’s ability to execute the Benin-Asaba Expressway project.
His appointment comes at a critical stage in the development of the corridor, where effective coordination among the concessionaire, government agencies, contractors, financiers, communities and road users will be essential to successful project delivery.
The Benin-Asaba Expressway is being developed under a Public-Private Partnership concession and is expected to serve as a critical transportation artery between Edo and Delta states while supporting the movement of people, goods and economic activity across southern Nigeria.
Given the scale and long-term nature of the project, effective delivery will require more than engineering expertise. Strong concession management, financing, risk allocation, logistics, stakeholder engagement and operational coordination will also be critical.
These areas represent significant components of Onwodi’s professional experience.
The new COO has consistently advocated an infrastructure-development model centred on balanced risk allocation, transparent partnerships and disciplined 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 diverse interests involved in delivering the highway.
His responsibilities will include supporting timely project delivery, promoting compliance with contractual and operational requirements, strengthening stakeholder relationships and helping ensure that the concession delivers sustainable value to road users, investors and the wider economy.
BAECC said the appointment reinforces its commitment to building 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, the company said its immediate priority remains effective execution of the concession and constructive engagement with all stakeholders towards delivering a safe, efficient and modern Benin-Asaba Expressway.