In a powerful celebration of excellence, innovation, and regulatory impact, City People Magazine honours Thelma Uzozie, one of Nigeria’s most versatile and impactful supply chain professionals, with the 2022 Outstanding Talent Award in Supply Chain & Business, in recognition of her strategic contributions to vendor governance, sourcing innovation, and logistics efficiency across West Africa’s most dynamic sectors.
Hosted annually by City People Magazine, Nigeria’s foremost lifestyle and innovation publication, the Outstanding Talents Awards shine a light on professionals who are not only delivering value but also shaping how industries prepare for the future. The 2022 edition of the Supply Chain and Procurement category receives over 100,000 nominations from across the continent and diaspora. Thelma Uzozie stands out for her consistent ability to streamline complex operations, strengthen supplier performance, and drive measurable improvements in compliance and cost savings.
Thelma leads supplier relationship management and procurement operations for Bayer Nig Ltd, a major multinational in the Anglo West Africa region. She streamlines sourcing processes, resulting in significantly shorter procurement timelines and notable cost reductions. Her development of a more efficient workflow has greatly improved operational speed and overall process effectiveness.
“This award is about recognising professionals who combine technical depth with measurable impact. Thelma Uzozie has delivered results at scale, through foresight, expertise, and disciplined execution,” says Wale Lawal, Senior Editor at City People Magazine.
Thelma is recognised for her use of data-driven insights and performance metrics to strengthen vendor partnerships, introducing structured evaluations that lead to significant improvements in supplier outcomes. She establishes clear standards of conduct and leads targeted compliance initiatives. She also fosters accountability and alignment across the supply chain. Her work has enhanced operational efficiency, mitigated legal and reputational risks, and contributed to a more resilient and sustainable procurement framework.
Earlier in her career at a leading agricultural firm, Thelma held roles in procurement, demand planning, and supply chain coordination. She played a key role in strengthening vendor agreements, improving production capacity, and increasing forecast accuracy. Her focus on strategic sourcing and inventory management led to notable reductions in excess stock and shortened procurement cycles.
As a supply chain coordinator, Thelma streamlined logistics, warehousing, and distribution operations. By enhancing inventory accuracy and optimising warehouse practices, she significantly reduced operational costs. Her collaboration with logistics partners improved delivery performance, and her routing strategies led to measurable transportation savings. Through her use of data and analytics, she identified and addressed operational inefficiencies, enabling a more agile and transparent supply chain.
Thelma holds a B.A. in English Language & Literature from Nnamdi Azikiwe University and a Diploma in Procurement & Supply from the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS). She is a Member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and a member of CIPS and Institute for Supply Management (ISM).
She continuously trains procurement teams, promotes stakeholder collaboration, and designs vendor frameworks that reduce risk, improve efficiency, and build trust. Her style is practical, hands-on, and rooted in strategic clarity.
What distinguishes Thelma is her ability to drive measurable impact through a combination of strategic thinking, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration. She consistently transforms complex procurement and supply chain challenges into streamlined, efficient systems that deliver tangible business value. Her strength lies in balancing operational efficiency with governance and compliance, fostering stronger vendor relationships while mitigating risk. Thelma’s leadership is marked by her proactive approach to innovation, her talent for aligning procurement goals with broader business objectives, and her unwavering focus on building resilient, performance-driven supply chains.
“My goal is to build systems that don’t just solve immediate challenges, but drive value that lasts,” Thelma tells City People Magazine. “Procurement is where strategy meets service, and when it’s done right, the whole business wins.”
City People Magazine proudly recognises Thelma Uzozie for her lasting contributions to Nigeria’s procurement and logistics ecosystem. With integrity, precision, and vision, she is building supply chains that move faster, cost less, and deliver more.
