In a bold celebration of strategy, leadership, and national impact, City People honours Cynthia Obianuju Ozobu, one of the brightest stars from Nigeria, with the 2022 Outstanding Talent Award in Supply Chain and Business, recognizing her transformative contributions to occupational health, industrial hygiene, and risk management across Nigeria’s most critical industries.
Hosted annually by City People Magazine, Nigeria’s most recognisable lifestyle and innovation publication, the Outstanding Talents Awards celebrate individuals whose work redefines industry benchmarks and contributes meaningfully to the national and regional transformation agenda. Selected from a competitive pool of over 100,000 professionals, Cynthia Ozobu emerges as an extraordinary trailblazer in occupational hygiene and environmental, health & safety (EHS) strategy. She delivers measurable impact across the petrochemical, fertiliser, cement, sugar, salt, and hazardous waste management sectors, helping organisations mitigate risk, attract and uphold investor confidence, and protect lives.
With over a decade of hands-on experience, Cynthia leads health and safety transformation projects across Dangote Industries Limited, ABC Sanitation, Critical Rescue International, Multiple Development Services, and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Her work results in significant reductions in occupational illness, stronger regulatory compliance, and more resilient business operations.
“This award celebrates trailblazing professionals who drive operational resilience through strategic foresight. Cynthia Ozobu proves that safety is not just a regulatory checkbox, it is a business enabler,” says Wale Lawal, Senior Editor at City People.
Cynthia stands out for her ability to embed industrial hygiene and health protection at the core of supply chain operations. She leads chemical exposure monitoring programs for ammonia, benzene, VOCs, and respirable crystalline silica, helping large industrial sites build robust health risk frameworks.
At Dangote Industries Limited, she develops and standardises group-wide Safety and Industrial Hygiene Programs (IHPs), driving a 40% reduction in occupational illness and ensuring full compliance with lender audits from institutions such as the African Development Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC). Her leadership during shutdown maintenance and turnaround operations at Dangote’s refinery and fertiliser plants cuts operational downtime by as much as 45%.
She also builds mentorship systems, exposure assessment models, and financial justifications for EHS interventions that secure contract renewals valued at over $1.5 million, proving her ability to link EHS success with business growth.
Cynthia plays a leading role beyond the worksite. She serves as the pioneer National Treasurer of the IOSH West Africa Branch, where she ensures governance, transparency, and financial integrity within one of the region’s most respected occupational health and safety institutions.
She champions the development of over 350+ young professionals through mentoring, utilising platforms such as HSE Technical Skills Development (TSD) – DOME Initiative and QHSES Leadership Academy, and she is widely known for promoting employee wellness, strategic risk mitigation, and sustainable safety practices in complex environments.
Cynthia Ozobu builds and sustains safety cultures that reduce risk, strengthen supply chain resilience, and drive measurable performance outcomes. She applies data-driven insights to reduce exposure, ensure compliance, and improve operational decision-making across industries.
Her work serves as a blueprint for integrating occupational health into business strategy, especially in sectors where workforce well-being and business continuity are closely linked.
“Health and safety must be central to business continuity. It’s how we protect people and performance,” Cynthia tells City People.
With this 2022 Outstanding Talent Supply Chain and Business Award, City People proudly recognise Cynthia Ozobu for her vision, courage, and impact. Her career redefines what responsible leadership looks like in today’s complex supply chain environment.
Cynthia Ozobu does not just manage safety, she reshapes how African industries grow, compete, and care for their people.
