Audrey Joe-Ezigbo is a highly experienced business leader, advisor, enery expert and coach, with over 29 years proven track record and deep expertise in Strategic Planning and Execution, Corporate Governance, Investor relations, Advocacy, Entrepreneurship Development and Environmental Sustainability in private, public and non-profit sectors at Executive and Board levels.

Recognized for her results-driven leadership and counsel in building organizations into world class, top producers Audrey is Deputy Managing Director, Falcon Corporation (a leading, wholly indigenous midstream and downstream Energy, Gas Distribution & Trading company) which she co-founded in 1994, championing the successful growth of the company into a major player in the Nigerian Gas industry. Audrey is also Managing Director, Optimera Energy LFZE, an SPV focused on Gas infrastructure build-out, Gas distribution and Energy optimization within Nigeria.

She is passionate about entrepreneurship in Africa and committed to actualizing the potentials of SMEs to become large corporates or multinationals. Mrs. Joe-Ezigbo is committed to building African institutions that can survive and scale sustainably and developing leaders and managers for these organizations who are global in their thinking and networks.

Fondly known as ‘The Impactonaire’, Audrey is a highly sought-after international speaker on various platforms including TEDx. She is a prolific writer, blogger, and author with four published books. She sits on the Boards of several notable organizations.

She is married and a mother to four young adults.

Educational qualification

• BSc. Honors degree – University of Nigeria
• PGD Banking & Finance – University of Nigeria
• MBA – Nnamdi Azikiwe University
• EMBA – Lagos Business School

Key achievements in the last decade

•  Drove the initiative that saw. Led the team through the rigorous process of planning, documentation, and presentation to the investment committees, negotiating the Shareholders Agreements, Heads of Agreement, Deeds of Indemnity, and other contractual agreements governing that relationship, leading to a successful seven-year tenured equity investment to the value of 40% of the business.

• Led business growth which ensured a 6x multiple return to the African Capital Alliance (ACA) a leading African investment firm sponsoring funds and managing investments in Sub Saharan Africa, on their exit from an investment in Falcon Corporation via their SME Manager Fund; a performance that continues to be recognized by the ACA.

•  Currently driving the implementation of the construction of a $40 million LPG tank farm in Port Harcourt, Rivers State which will be pivotal in delivering environmental and economic benefits to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas distribution and delivery ecosystem in Nigeria. When completed, the tank farm will ease supply chain logistics around gas storage, distribution, and delivery by bringing these facilities much closer to where the product is produced.

• Drove the attainment of Falcon’s OHSAS 18001:2007 certification (August 2016), and the attainment of an Integrated Management System (ISO 9001:2015/ISO14001:2015/ISO 45001:2018) for the Company.

• Led the process that led to the award of the Natural Gas distribution project with the Lagos Free Zone to Optimera Energy LFZE. Currently driving the $30 million phase 1 of the project. Project will deliver upwards of 5mmscf /d to 40mmscf/d of Natural Gas to varied industrial customers over an initial 20-year period. Audrey is responsible for primary interfaces with Consortium partenrs, investors, financiers, and regulators.

• Past (and first female) President of the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) – the apex organization and umbrella body representing stakeholders in the Nigerian Gas industry where she had served on the Executive Council for 15 years before being appointed President (2018 – 2021). Has previously served as 2nd Vice President and Chair of the NGA Investment Promotions and External Relations Committee, and as 1st Vice President with primary responsibility for NGA Industry Study Groups and Advocacy committees. Currently an ex-officio member of the Executive Council.

• As NGA President Successfully engaged the Nigerian executive government, legislature, and industry regulators around the National Gas policy that was eventually passed in 2017, incorporated into the PIB Bill which also passed by the Nigerian legislature in 2020 and enacted into law in 2021.

• Advocated for an industry-driven approach to tackling Gas flaring and pollution. Played a key role in progressing the advancement of the National Gas flare Commercialization program (NGFCP). Worked extensively with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the DPR (2017-2020) to fashion out the National Gas Flare (Prevention of Waste and Pollution) Regulation (2018) backing the NGFCP.

• Worked with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on the National Gas Transportation Network Code, an issue that had been a challenge nationally for almost two decades, successfully getting it passed in February 2020.

• Formed strategic national and international partnerships to support advocacy for the Nigerian Gas sector, one of which was a major international partnership with FOSTER II (Facility for Oil Sector Transformation) A DFID-supported program whose key objective is to improve the management of the Nigerian oil and gas resources through sector reforms – 2019.

• Initiated the enhanced collaboration between the NGA and NCDMB that led to the creation of a dedicated sectoral working group for the Gas subsector under the Nigeria Content Consultative Forum (NCCF) at the Nigerian Content Monitoring and Development Board. Also subsequently appointed as a member of an NCDMB NCCF Diversity Sectoral Working Group. Both groups were inaugurated in 2020.

• Audrey is a member of the 2022-2025 Executive Committee of the International Gas Union (IGU), the global voice of Gas; sitting in as Nigeria’s representative responsible for the Exploration & Production Committee. She is the first African woman to occupy this position.

• Served as a member of the Executive Council of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) 2018 – 2021, the premier non-profit organization focused on increasing and supporting the success rates of female entrepreneurs and the proportion of women in senior positions in corporate organizations and the public service.

• As Chairperson of the Programs and Memberships committee at WIMBIZ, successfully championed and conducted the first ever virtual induction of members, a highly successful event and has been held virtually since the maiden edition in 2020.

• As Chairman of the Capital Committee at WIMBIZ, Mrs. Joe-Ezigbo innovated new, structured capacity building programs that entailed improved segmentation of audiences for more ‘fit for purpose’ interventions. Working with the committee teams, she executed a process that delivered and updated curricula for the new programs at 2 levels, based on segmentation criteria, new and expanded networking and relationships with local and international funding sources for facilitating access to capital, and a more robust monitoring and evaluation program that ensures enhanced support post-training over an extended 2-year timeframe.

Important recognition in the last decade

AWARDS
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year West Africa 2014 Award

Lagos Business School (Pan Atlantic University) Distinguished Alumni Award 2018

Women in Maritime and Energy, Energy Trailblazer Award 2022

Women in Energy Network (WiEN) Hall of Fame ‘Winning with Women’ Award 2022

2022 Centre for Values in Leadership Award for transformational work in the Nigerian Oil and Gas sector

Nigerian Gas Association NGA 2023 Award For Excellence In Leadership (exemplary leadership and contributions to the Nigerian Gas industry)

RECOGNITIONS
2014 United Nations Global Entrepreneurship Week ‘Women Entrepreneurship Day’ Ambassador for Nigeria

Nigerian News Direct Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 Award

Leading Ladies Africa 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria 2019

2021 PowerWoman 100 in the Oil & Gas category

One of top 100 Outstanding Female Executives in the African Oil and Gas Industry 2021

Leading Ladies Africa 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria 2023 (The Enterprise Edition)

ABCD Africa 50 Most Impactful Voices (African Women Using Their Voices and Digital Content as A Tool for Change) 2023

Her range of speaking topics

• Energy (Gas)
• Business & Enterpreneurship
• Family/Couples in Business
• Governance & Institutionalization
•  Self actualization & Personal development
• Corporate leadership
• Personal leadership
• Women empowerment
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Financial management – personal & corporate
• Estate planning