I was in the company of friends when news broke that President Tinubu had appointed a new MD for the South South Development Commission (SSDC). My friends were stunned. ‘Another Akpabio again?’ one of us screamed. The first name drew blanks, and we easily linked the surname to a prominent politician we all knew but that face looked very familiar to me. I went onto Facebook to confirm: it was the Usoro I knew. After messaging family sources to reconfirm, it was the same good old Usoro Offiong Akpabio
I allowed my friends to continue their fruitless guesses and theories. But as men, we couldn’t help remarking on her striking beauty in that elegant gown. Usoro Akpabio, however, transcends mere physical beauty, she has always been a dazzling gem hidden in plain sight.
She is a proud product of the University of Calabar, armed with elite credentials from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School and Imperial College London, and forged in the high stakes crucible of global energy and government strategy.
Usoro is not just stepping into this office at the ripe age of 45, she is deploying a unique arsenal honed over 17 years at the absolute apex of complex national development. Her work has been in various roles in oil and gas trading, government relations, business development, and public-private sector collaborations. She most recently served as Group General Manager, Trading, Government and Client Relations at Century Energy Group.
I recall she was Vice President/Senior Manager Business Development, Energy, and Government Relations at Taleveras Group of Companies Ltd, where she was very effective at energy and infrastructure trading.
She has acted as a Senior Strategic Consultant to a major refinery project in Nigeria, leading operational and legislative integration efforts that helped align production strategies with government policy frameworks and regional supply agreements. Her work has included coordinating high-level engagements with the National Assembly and advancing compliance with international product standards.
Usoro Akpabio arrives not merely with a resume, but with a proven blueprint for orchestrating complex progress. Her rise follows nearly two decades mastering the intricate dance between high stakes commerce and impactful public good. She is very respectful, and a kind hearted leader.
Forget dry policy papers; Usoro Akpabio has operated where billion-dollar energy deals intersect with grassroots empowerment, where navigating legislative corridors translates directly into community upliftment.
She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts UK ( FRSA ) and a Fellow Chartered Economist (FCE). She holds professional memberships with the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), National Heritage Council and Endowment for the Arts, International Association of Safety Professionals (IASP), and African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO).
For me, the most electrifying aspect of her appointment is the profound humanity she brings. Usoro Akpabio’s legacy is already etched in communities through the Usoro Akpabio Educational Foundation, providing life changing surgeries, restoring access to clean water, empowering women, and offering scholarships. She has been recognized globally for her humanitarian zeal (including the African Achievers Award at the UK House of Commons), she embodies the principle that true development uplifts every citizen. This is not detached philanthropy; it is the core of her leadership philosophy.
Usoro Akpabio is a proud Uruan lady from Akwa Ibom State whose formative years were rooted in Calabar, where she attended Auntie Margaret International Nursery School and Federal Government Girls College, both in Calabar. These early experiences instilled in her a strong sense of community, discipline, and public service, values that have shaped her distinguished career.
The message is clear: The South South region of Nigeria has gained more than an administrator; it has secured a visionary architect of prosperity. She knows the way, She will hit the ground running. We have a smart lady with a smile that can disarm tension and launch development initiatives with equal ease.
Here comes our new MD with a track record of turning complex challenges into tangible successes and a heart deeply invested in the people.
✅Aniekeme Finbarr is a decorated communicator, recognized with the Prestigious Edward R Murrow Fellowship by the US Department of State.
