Obiageli Ezekwesili
Encyclopedia
Obiageli Ezekwesili is a Nigeria
n chartered accountant. She was a co-founder of Transparency International, serving as one of the pioneer Directors of the global anti-corruption body based in Berlin, Germany. She served as Federal Minister of Solid Minerals and then as Federal Minister of Education during the second term presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo. Since then, she has been the Vice President of the World Bank
's Africa division.
, as well as a Masters of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
She trained with the firm of Deloitte and Touche and qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Prior to working for the Government of Nigeria, Ezekwesiili was working with Professor Jeffrey Sachs
at the Center for International Development
at Harvard.
She was appointed Minister of Solid Minerals (Mines and Steel) in June 2005 during which time she led a vibrant reform program that led to Nigeria's global recognition as a credible mining investment destination. She was also the Chairperson of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and led the first ever national implementation of the global standards and principles of transparency in the oil, gas and mining sector.
In June 2006, Ezekwesili was appointed the Federal Minister of Education
, holding this post until she took up her World Bank appointment in May 2007.
President Paul Wolfowitz
announced the appointment of Ezekwesili as Vice President for the Africa Region starting on 1 May 2007.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n chartered accountant. She was a co-founder of Transparency International, serving as one of the pioneer Directors of the global anti-corruption body based in Berlin, Germany. She served as Federal Minister of Solid Minerals and then as Federal Minister of Education during the second term presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo. Since then, she has been the Vice President of the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
's Africa division.
Education
Ezekwesili holds a Masters in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of LagosUniversity of Lagos
The University of Lagos - popularly known as Unilag - is a federal government university with a main campus located at Akoka, Yaba and a college of medicine located at Idi-Araba, all in Lagos, Lagos State, southern Nigeria...
, as well as a Masters of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
She trained with the firm of Deloitte and Touche and qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Prior to working for the Government of Nigeria, Ezekwesiili was working with Professor Jeffrey Sachs
Jeffrey Sachs
Jeffrey David Sachs is an American economist and Director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University. One of the youngest economics professors in the history of Harvard University, Sachs became known for his role as an adviser to Eastern European and developing country governments in the...
at the Center for International Development
Center for international development
The Center for International Development at Harvard University is a nonprofit, academic research center located at Harvard University. As Harvard’s primary center for research on international development, CID works to generate shared and sustainable prosperity in developing economies...
at Harvard.
Obasanjo government
Ezekwesili started off in the Olusegun Obasanjo administration as the Pioneer head of the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit (aka Due Process Unit). It was in this position that she earned the sobriquet of "Madam Due Process" for the outstanding work she led a team of professionals to do in sanitizing public procurement or contracting at the Federal level in Nigeria. She was the architect of the Bureau for Public Procurement legislation, the NEITI legislation and the new Minerals and Mining legislation during her six and a half years stint in government.She was appointed Minister of Solid Minerals (Mines and Steel) in June 2005 during which time she led a vibrant reform program that led to Nigeria's global recognition as a credible mining investment destination. She was also the Chairperson of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and led the first ever national implementation of the global standards and principles of transparency in the oil, gas and mining sector.
In June 2006, Ezekwesili was appointed the Federal Minister of Education
Nigerian Federal Ministry of Education
The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Education is the government body that directs education in Nigeria. It was established in 1988. The current Minister of Education is Ruqayyah Ahmed Rufa'i, who succeeded Sam Egwu...
, holding this post until she took up her World Bank appointment in May 2007.
Later career
In March 2007, World BankWorld Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
President Paul Wolfowitz
Paul Wolfowitz
Paul Dundes Wolfowitz is a former United States Ambassador to Indonesia, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, President of the World Bank, and former dean of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University...
announced the appointment of Ezekwesili as Vice President for the Africa Region starting on 1 May 2007.
External links
- Interview with Obiageli Ezekwesili, Vice President for the World Bank Africa Region The World Bank, November-December 2007