…prior to his appointment, Okonkwo served as Managing Director of DLM Advisory.
AWKA, NIGERIA — The iNews Times reports that Governor Chukwuma Soludo has appointed 39-year-old finance lawyer, Nwabunwanne Okonkwo, as the pioneer Chief Executive Officer of the newly established Anambra Investment Corporation, formally known as the Anambra State Development and Investment Corporation (ADIC).
The appointment marks a major step in the state government’s renewed drive to institutionalise private-sector-led growth through the Anambra Investment Corporation, which has been structured to attract, finance, and oversee strategic business and infrastructure projects across the state.
According to a statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, Okonkwo will spearhead the corporation’s mandate of mobilising capital, structuring development deals, and coordinating private sector investment aimed at accelerating Anambra’s economic transformation.
The creation of the Anambra Investment Corporation is part of Governor Soludo’s broader economic reform agenda designed to reposition Anambra as a leading destination for domestic and foreign investment.
Under its mandate, the Anambra Investment Corporation is expected to function as a development finance and project structuring vehicle. Its objectives include; attracting strategic investors into priority sectors, financing large-scale infrastructure projects, supporting public-private partnerships (PPPs), enhancing revenue generation through viable commercial ventures, promoting sustainable economic growth.
Economic analysts say the institutionalisation of an investment corporation could reduce reliance on federal allocations and expand the state’s internally generated revenue base.
The iNews Times understands that ADIC is expected to play a catalytic role in sectors such as infrastructure development, manufacturing, agro-processing, industrial parks, real estate, technology, and energy.
The newly appointed CEO of the Anambra Investment Corporation brings over 16 years of experience in the financial services sector.
Prior to his appointment, Okonkwo served as Managing Director of DLM Advisory, the investment banking arm of DLM Capital Group, a development-focused investment bank known for structuring innovative financial transactions in Nigeria and across Africa.
According to the state government, he helped mobilise more than $1 billion in financing for various governments and corporate entities across multiple industries on the continent.
A trained finance lawyer, Okonkwo holds a Master’s degree in Corporate Finance from Wayne State University in Michigan, United States. His background combines legal expertise with capital market strategy, a blend widely regarded as essential for modern development finance institutions.
Observers note that his age 39, signals a generational shift aligned with Governor Soludo’s emphasis on technocratic leadership and results-driven governance.
Development corporations have increasingly become critical tools for subnational governments seeking structured economic expansion.
Across Nigeria, states such as Lagos, Kaduna, and others have leveraged similar vehicles to attract infrastructure financing, structure bond issuances, and coordinate industrial development initiatives. The establishment of the Anambra Investment Corporation places the state within this evolving framework of modern public finance strategy.
Under Governor Soludo’s administration, Anambra has prioritised reforms aimed at; improving ease of doing business, expanding digital governance systems, strengthening fiscal discipline, enhancing security infrastructure, upgrading transport and urban development.
The Anambra Investment Corporation is expected to serve as the financial engine behind many of these strategic initiatives.
Policy analysts argue that a professionally managed investment corporation can bridge funding gaps, especially at a time when global capital flows are tightening and subnational borrowing requires strong structuring expertise.
While the appointment has been welcomed in policy circles, expectations remain high.
The new leadership of the Anambra Investment Corporation will be tasked with; designing bankable projects, negotiating competitive financing terms, ensuring transparency and corporate governance, building investor confidence, elivering measurable economic impact.
For a state widely known for its strong entrepreneurial culture and commercial hubs such as Onitsha and Nnewi, the corporation represents an opportunity to formalise and scale economic potential through structured financing frameworks.
The iNews Times reports that stakeholders will closely monitor how quickly the corporation rolls out flagship projects and how effectively it aligns with global best practices in development finance.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo, a former Central Bank Governor and respected economist, has consistently emphasised economic transformation through innovation, fiscal prudence, and private sector collaboration.
The launch of the Anambra Investment Corporation fits squarely within that reform philosophy.
Political analysts suggest that if successfully implemented, ADIC could significantly reshape Anambra’s development trajectory, strengthen investor confidence, and position the state as a model for subnational economic management in Nigeria.
As Nwabunwanne Okonkwo assumes office, attention will turn to early policy announcements, partnership agreements, and project pipelines emerging from the Anambra Investment Corporation.
With mounting pressure on states to diversify revenue sources and reduce dependence on oil-derived federal allocations, the performance of ADIC could serve as a benchmark for other subnational entities.
The iNews Times will continue to track developments surrounding the Anambra Investment Corporation, its investment strategy, and the broader economic impact on the state.
