Winifred Akpani

Winifred Akpani is a Nigerian businesswoman and entrepreneur recognized for her contributions to the oil and gas industry. She is a Chartered Accountant and the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Northwest Petroleum & Gas Company Limited, an indigenous petroleum products marketing company based in Nigeria.

Early life and education
Akpani earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Benin, Benin City. She subsequently obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science from the University of Lagos.

She is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and the Institute of Directors. Committed to continuous education, she has participated in various courses in finance, oil and gas, corporate governance, and banking.

Career
Akpani began her career as a trainee accountant at Oni Lasebikan and Co. (now Ernst & Young) in 1987. She subsequently joined Arthur Anderson & Co. (now KPMG Professional Services), where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1990. She held the position of audit senior until her departure in 1992.

In 1992, she joined Flame Petroleum & Gas Company Limited as a Financial Controller and was promoted to Executive Director in 1997. In 1998, Akpani founded Northwest Petroleum & Gas Company Limited with an initial capital of 200,000 Naira. The company started by distributing diesel in 200-liter drums to homes, guest houses, banks, and corporations. Over time, Northwest Petroleum expanded its operations to include international oil trading and service transactions, as well as investments in the midstream and upstream sectors of the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

Contributions and affiliations
In 2019, she was elected as the new Chairman of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN).

Personal life
Winifred Akpani is married to Walter Akpani, who is the Managing Director and CEO of Providus Bank Limited.