Dr. Joseph Okey Ellah is an expert in Operations Research and Statistics with emphasis in Systems design and planning. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Mathematics with studies in Chemistry and also holds M.Sc., and PhD degrees from Durham University, U.K. After a few years as a Lecturer, at the University of Port Harcourt, where he taught in both the Economics and Mathematics Departments, he served as a World Bank Consultant at the Federal Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. There, he helped to develop a homegrown Structural Adjustment Programme that opened up the Nigerian Economy and the Banking sector. His application of Systems Modeling and Optimization techniques contributed to the establishment of important national institutions, including a National Planning Commission, National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) and National Debt Data Bank, required to manage Nigeria’s external debt that was in a rather confused state. Thereafter, he served as a Consultant and Special Adviser to the Federal Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, where he developed a robust Oil Industry Revenue/Expenditure/Project Monitoring System, necessary for top-level executive decision-making. He joined the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), as a Manager and rose to the rank of a Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Development Division, where he coordinated the plan and development programme of NNPC and its Joint Venture (JV) partners, for several years. He later served as Group General Manager, in charge of Upstream Investment. At the NNPC, he served as Chairman/member of many oil industry Boards and Committees, at technical and policy levels, including Committees of NLNG Bonny, up to Final Investment Decision (FID) and served as a Director in Bonny Gas Transport (BGT), the NLNG Subsidiary that owns the vessels that carry the liquefied gas.
He served as Chairman of Gas Pricing Committees, involving NNPC and NEPA – PHCN, as well as, Chairman of various products pricing Committees, to create a benchmark for products pricing.
His concern for details made him serve as the Chairman of the Technical Committee concerned with various Joint Venture (JV) alternate funding programmes and the NNPC/Shell/Agip/Elf “Value for Money Audit” Committee, which provided a framework for, ensuring optimum use of resources by Joint Venture partners.
His clear understanding and contributions to the Nigerian Petroleum Industry made it possible, for him to participate in many major Industry wide policy discussions, including Vision 2010, Divestment of the Upstream sector and the Petroleum Industry Bill etc., in addition to bilateral discussions, between Nigeria and other Nations.
Joseph Ellah is multi-talented and has made his experience available, through series of lectures, on various aspects of Nigerian and World economy, ranging from Finance to Oil and Gas.
His desire and mission is to help create a vibrant Nigerian Oil Industry, with relevant linkages to academic research, for a balanced national petroleum driven development.
He is married with three children.