Oby Ezekwesili

Obiageli "Oby" Ezekwesili // ⓘ (born 28 April 1963) is a Nigerian economic policy expert, an advocate for transparency, accountability, good governance and human capital development, a humanitarian and an activist.

[7] board of trustees Ezekwesili is also a chartered accountant, public analyst, and senior economic advisor from Anambra state.

She was also the Chairperson of the NEITI, and led the first national implementation of the global standards and principles of transparency in the oil, gas and mining sector.

[25] As a senior economic advisor for Open Society, a group founded by George Soros, Ezekwesili advises nine reform-committed African heads of state including Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia.

[26] On 1 October 2012, one of the world's leading telecommunications firms, Bharti Airtel, with operations in 20 countries, named Ezekwesili as a director on its board.

[29] In April 2020, she was appointed to the board of trustees of the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation where she contributes to overseeing their expansion in developing economies.

[31][32][33] In January 2019, Ezekwesili was appointed on the advisory board of directors[34] of Nexford University in Washington DC and subsequently launched a scholarship program dedicated to women in Nigeria.

[37] In March 2014, Ezekwesili delivered a speech at the national summit of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria's leading opposition party.

[42][43][44] As she prepared to board a British Airways flight to London to appear on the BBC programme Hard Talk in July 2014, she was detained by Nigeria's secret service, the SSS, who also seized her passport.

[61] Oby is married to Pastor Chinedu Ezekwesili of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and has three sons: Chinemelum, Chinweuba and Chidera.

[62] In April 2021, Ezekwesili submitted a petition to the Inspector General of Police against Japhet Omojuwa, accusing him of fraudulently using her name as a director in his firm, Alpha Reach Company Limited.