BAECC appoints Onwodi to drive Benin-Asaba road project

The Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited has appointed public-private partnership and infrastructure specialist Dr. Emmanuel Onwodi as Chief Operating Officer, as the company advances the development and management of the Benin-Asaba highway corridor.

A statement from the firm said Onwodi, a chartered accountant and infrastructure finance specialist, brings more than 25 years of experience spanning infrastructure development, concession management, project finance, risk management, transport and logistics.

He will be responsible for driving the operational execution of the Benin-Asaba Expressway concession, coordinating key stakeholders and supporting the implementation of the concession company’s objectives.

His mandate will also include promoting operational efficiency and strengthening cooperation among government institutions, investors, contractors, lenders, communities and other stakeholders involved in the project.

Onwodi previously spent about 14 years in senior roles at the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, where he rose to director-level positions covering transport infrastructure, planning, research and statistics, and special projects.

During his public-sector career, he participated in the development, review and implementation of PPP and infrastructure initiatives involving roads, railways, ports, aviation, energy, real estate and social infrastructure.

He also worked on the structuring and negotiation of concession arrangements, project finance, financial modelling, risk allocation, contingent liabilities and frameworks aimed at improving the bankability and sustainability of infrastructure projects.

His experience includes contributions to the Nigerian Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, the National Infrastructure Financing Policy and guidelines supporting PPP implementation across Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

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In the transport sector, he participated in the negotiation and structuring of the Eastern and Western Railway concessions, valued at more than $2.2bn, as well as work relating to railway business cases and transaction advisory.

His infrastructure finance experience includes participation in transactions designed to mobilise private capital for public projects, including the structuring of a transaction that attracted more than N41bn in private investment into a single project.

Onwodi holds a Ph.D. in Risk Management in Public-Private Partnerships, an M.Sc. in Risk Management from Birmingham City University, UK, and a B.A. in International Accounting from the University of Northampton, UK.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. He is also a Certified Public-Private Partnership Professional, Chartered Financial Consultant, and Chartered Management Consultant.

Onwodi currently serves as Director of Programme and Capacity Building for the PPP Practitioners Association of Nigeria and is Branch Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Abuja.

Commenting on his appointment, Onwodi said, “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.”

The Benin-Asaba Expressway is being developed under a public-private partnership concession and connects Edo and Delta states, facilitating the movement of people and goods between major parts of southern Nigeria.