By Chris Agabi
Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc has appointed Chijioke Okwuokenye as the Chief Operating Officer (COO).
AEDC also restructured the Chief Business Officer (CBO) role to improve end-to-end energy accounting, improve operational efficiency and overall customer experience.
With the new structure, the utility now has four CBOs managing Wuse, Apo, Garki regions and the three outer states under AEDC’s franchise – Kogi, Nasarawa, and Niger state, a statement from AEDC said.
The newly appointed officers come with extensive experience in the power sector, and are expected to support the Company’s goal of improving power supply to its customers, the statement indicated.
The new COO, Chijioke Okwuokenye, has established himself as a dynamic leader and innovator in the power sector it said adding that he has worked as the Vice President of Engineering at Konexa, Project Engineer and Manager at Income Electrix Limited, and Head of Strategic Projects Initiative Cell and Head of Commercial at Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Plc.
The statement further indicated that “Chijioke is a strategic thinker capable of navigating the complexities of the power sector.”
Jonathan Adeyemi is one of AEDC’s four new CBOs.
He will manage the three outer states within AEDC’s franchise – Kogi, Nasarawa, and Niger. Jonathan grew within the ranks at AEDC, having joined defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) in 2005. He has worked as a service engineer, operation and maintenance engineer, senior manager for technical services, and Area Manager, among other roles.
Leticia Ejendu, who oversees the Garki Region is another successful story of growing through the ranks. In her previous roles as Area Manager and Regional General Manager in AEDC, Leticia steered the helm of strategic initiatives aimed at increase in revenue growth, significant reductions in distribution losses, and enhanced operational efficiency.
Olumide Jerome is the new CBO in charge of Wuse Region. As Pioneer Group Chief Information Officer in the post-privatization era with Sahara Power Group, Olumide leveraged technology to drive business objectives. He was the General Manager (Commercial) for Eko Distribution Company before joining AEDC to contribute to the Company’s transformation plan.
Canice Emeka is the new CBO charged with driving AEDC’s business in the Apo Region, ensuring customer satisfaction and operational efficeincy. Canice is a top-performing energy professional with a proven track record of success in various aspects of power distribution operations, revenue assurance and protection, energy management, system planning and construction, distribution network automation, project management, control room design, safety compliance, strategic planning, business development, data analysis, metering systems, and renewable energy solutions.
Canice excelled as an Outage Manager at the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company and has over the years held various positions in different energy companies, including Head of Revenue Protection & Head of Commercial at the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company; Senior Energy Consultant at Nextier Power; Head of Technical at Enugu Electricity Distribution Company; and Senior Energy Consultant at the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company. Before joining AEDC, Canice was the Chief Operations Officer – COO at Aba Power Limited Electric.
The recent appointments are seen as an indication of AEDC’s commitment to turning around the distribution company serving Nigeria’s capital and neighbouring states. The Company has in recent times reiterated its commitment to improving access to stable and sustainable electricity across its franchise area, with several initiatives to ensure the integrity of its network and alternative sources of energy to satisfy customer demand.
