In a remarkable stride towards gender diversity and inclusivity, Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the appointment of Ms. Nkechi Jane Egberton-Idehen to take the helm at the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) as its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO).
The announcement, made on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, marked a significant milestone as Nkechi became the seventh woman to assume a prominent position in the current administration.
Poised to take the reins from Tukur Mohammed Lawal Funtua, Nkechi boasts a distinguished career spanning over 17 years in the tech sector. Her journey has crisscrossed continents, including Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, where she has orchestrated successful ventures for multinationals like Ericsson, Nokia-Siemens and Meta.
Described as an academic trailblazer, she began her educational pursuit at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she read Electronics Engineering. Her quest for knowledge then led her to the University of Warwick in the UK where she earned her MBA.
She didn’t stop there, as her thirst for wisdom and expertise still trailed her to the prestigious institutions like the Harvard Business School, Yale School of Management and Columbia Business School.
As a visionary tech leader, Nkechi’s rise in the tech world can be attributed to her profound understanding of technology, her knack for managing complex stakeholder relationships, and her strategic acumen in team leadership and growth-focused business strategies.
She also plied her trade at the Spar Aerospace Limited as an Engineer and she later championed the cause of women in engineering through her role at the Women in Engineering and AGIC Investment Club.
Over the years, she has deployed her expertise in other industry giants such as Avanti Communications, Hustle Fund, Doorway Africa, Oris and Treeepz.
Nkechi’s professional portfolio boasts a vast array of roles, spanning strategy, sales, marketing, product development, brand management, new business development, relationship management, operations and project management.
She describes herself as a “high-energy, active lady” renowned for her ability to formulate clear visions, devise comprehensive strategies, assemble award-winning sales and marketing teams, and ensure excellence in execution.
Her influence extends beyond the corporate realm when she served as an angel investor, strategic advisor and spokesperson, offering invaluable support to start-ups and businesses as they navigate the complexities of product launch, revenue generation, training and building high-performing sales teams.
Being a champ woman in tech has exposed her to unique professional and personal contests. And, driven by her conversations with other female executives across the world, Nkechi was able to spearhead a groundbreaking forum at Ericsson, where emerging and experienced female leaders could rally round one another in their career development journeys.
She once noted that the resonant success of this initiative led to the creation of Women and Career, a platform dedicated to empowering women, particularly those pursuing careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
Nkechi, a widely travelled and global trailblazer but deeply rooted in Nigeria, was born and raised in the metropolitan city of Lagos, where her appointment into several notable positions stirred excitement, given her exceptional performance.
Combined with being noted that her remarkable journey is a proof of her resolve and vision for gender equality in the tech world, Nkechi, in 2020, published a book, Be Fearless, Permit Yourself To Be You, which became an Amazon Bestseller.
In it, she drew from her extensive experience as a telecommunications executive in Africa, as she provided women with the tools to forge enduring careers in any traditionally male-dominated industries.
She also positioned herself as a beacon of inspiration for women looking to excel in STEM fields, to help them leave an indelible mark on their chosen career path.
