Obi Ozor, Kobo360 CEO, Takes on Commissioner Role in Enugu State 

Peter Mba, the Enugu State governor, announced the appointment of 20 commissioners on Thursday. These commissioners will play a crucial role in facilitating the execution of the governor’s initiatives within the eastern region of Nigeria. 

Among the recently inaugurated commissioners is Obi Ozor, renowned as the CEO of Kobo360, a prominent Nigerian logistics startup. Ozor’s designated role in Governor Mba’s administration is as the Commissioner of Transportation, underscoring his significance in the cabinet.

During his address, Mba emphasized that the selection of the commissioners was rooted in their extensive expertise and proven achievements. He expressed optimism that these valuable experiences would be effectively applied to serve the best interests of the Enugu State populace while anticipating the commissioners to contribute their expertise towards the betterment of the people.

He said “It’s our hope that you are going to bring those experiences to bear and to work for the people of Enugu State.”

Mba additionally shared his aspirations for Enugu and urged the commissioners to actively contribute towards its realization. He said, “We want to attract investments to Enugu and it will require you, deploying not only your skills but also making sure that you acquire those new skills that we need to fix the challenges of breaking new grounds of economic development and growth.”

What you should know about Obi Ozor

After completing a five-year training at a seminary, Ozor assumed the role of CEO at Kobo360 for an additional five years. Prior to this, he held positions at JP Morgan and Uber Nigeria, including the role of Director of Operations. The inception of Kobo360 occurred in 2017 in Nigeria, co-founded by Obi Ozor and Ife Oyedele, who departed the startup the previous year. 

The company’s digital logistics platform enables cargo owners to conveniently request freight trucks via mobile devices or the web, facilitating the seamless pickup and delivery of goods to their designated destinations.

President Tinubu’s prior appointments

One week prior to this appointment, President Tinubu named Bosun Tijani as a minister, further highlighting the trend of startup founders assuming government roles in Nigeria. While examples like Oswald Guobadia, a dual-founder with involvement in Buhari’s administration, have been seen before, the recent designations of Ozor and Tijani carry a fresh sense of endorsement for Nigeria’s burgeoning tech landscape. With these barriers at the governmental level now diminished, the trajectory of growth for Nigeria’s tech ecosystem is firmly set in motion.