Engr. Chief J.J. Akpieyi FAEng
A descendant of Prince Omateye of the Itsekiri Royal Family, Engr. (Chief) Joseph Jemine Akpieyi was born on 28th February 1939 in Effurun. He attended Catholic School Warri from 1946 – 1954 when he gained admission to the prestigious Government College Ughelli. He obtained a good grade 1 Cambridge West African School Certificate in 1959 and the Cambridge Higher School Certificate in 1961. He proceeded to the premier University of Ibadan in 1962 and obtained a BSc single Honours degree in Chemistry in 1965. In 1968, he obtained a post – graduate certification in Chemical Engineering from the University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom. He earned the Executive Management Certificate in Business Administration of Columbia University, USA in 1981 and the British Standards Institute (BSI) Management Systems Lead Auditors Certificate in 2003.
A pioneer in the public sector of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry, Engineer Akpieyi was the General Manager / CEO of the premier Nigerian Petroleum Refining Company (NPRC) Limited, Port – Harcourt from 1980 – 1985; General Manager of the Pipelines Operations Division of NNPC from February 1985 – June 1988; first Managing Director of Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company Limited from 1st June 1988 – May 1990; and the Managing Director of the National Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO) Limited (NNPC / Bechtel Joint Venture) from June 1990 –31st December 1991 from where he voluntarily retired from the public service after 26 years of meritorious service.
Engineer Akpieyi also served the nation in a variety of capacities but notably as: the Chief Coordinator of the first 3000km network of petroleum product pipelines and17 associated depots projects costing over $750 million (1977 costs); Chairman of the Petroleum Equalization Fund (Management) Board from 1977 – 85; Board member of National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company Ltd and Unipetrol (now OandO) from1977 – 1979); and the Chairman of the Interim Technical Board of Port – Harcourt Refining Company Limited for the privatization of Port – Harcourt Refinery on appointment by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Engineer Akpieyi was a Western Nigeria Regional scholar from 1954 – 59 and 1962 – 65 and a British Council scholar between 1967 and 1969. He was awarded NPRC Board of Directors Merit Certificate for leadership excellence in 1984 and the NNPC Group Managing Director’s Award for performance excellence in 1987. He is listed in the International Register of Certificated Auditors.
Engineer Akpieyi is a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, Fellow of the Chemical Society of Nigeria, Fellow of the Institute of Directors, a Past President of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (1999 – 2000) and the past chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers Foundation (2007 – 2012).
Engineer Akpieyi is the Founder and current Chairman of Air Separation Nigeria Limited, TRITHEL International Consulting and Chairman of ARCO Group.