PROFILE: Segun Awolowo — his life, career, and enduring impact

Olusegun “Segun” Awolowo Jr., grandson of Nigeria’s iconic nationalist, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, has died at the age of 62. His family announced his passing on Thursday, 20 November 2025, describing him as a “steady, wise, endlessly loving” husband, father, grandfather, and “a painfully loyal servant to Nigeria.”

Awolowo leaves behind a legacy defined by idealism, ambition, and a commitment to public service that shaped his decades-long career.

Early life and formative years

Born on 27 September 1963, Segun Awolowo Jr. inherited a legacy steeped in public leadership. His grandfather, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, was a central figure in Nigeria’s independence movement and a champion of social justice.

His early exposure to governance and national policy influenced his path into public service. Before becoming chief executive of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), he served as Special Assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo, focusing on traditional institutions, budgeting, and governance. He later became Secretary for Social Development and Transport in the Federal Capital Territory.

Career: Reform, ambition, and the Zero Oil vision

Awolowo’s most prominent public role was as Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, a position he first assumed in 2013 under President Goodluck Jonathan. He was reappointed in 2018 by President Muhammadu Buhari, a reflection of cross-administration confidence in his work.

At NEPC, he championed economic diversification. His signature initiative, the Zero Oil Plan, aimed to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on crude oil by accelerating growth in non-oil export sectors.

Under his leadership, NEPC focused on dozens of priority sectors — including agriculture (rice, cocoa, cashew), manufacturing, and solid minerals — as potential engines of national growth. He also fostered partnerships with institutions such as the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, and NEXIM Bank. One example was his role in expanding Nigeria’s cashew value chain, supporting a processing plant that created hundreds of local jobs.

Awolowo’s regional influence grew in 2021 when he was unanimously elected President of the National Trade Promotion Organisations for ECOWAS member states. He also became a leading advocate for Nigeria’s engagement with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In 2022, he was appointed Secretary of Nigeria’s National Action Committee on AfCFTA, where he coordinated national strategies to harness opportunities within the continental trade framework.

Character, family, and faith

His family described him as “steady, wise, endlessly loving,” highlighting the depth of his loyalty both to his loved ones and to the country he served. Though he carried a revered family name, colleagues said he earned his reputation through diligence, humility, and intellectual curiosity.

Awolowo was widely remembered as someone who worked to bridge gaps between government, the private sector, and international partners, always with an eye on Nigeria’s economic transformation.