•The Story Of WALTER & WINIFRED AKPANI
Arguably Nigeria’s most powerful business couple lovers, the story of Walter and Winifred have been told in the business space in Nigeria for years. Popularised by how both have efficiently managed the home-front and respective business magnates, their story cuts a picture of love eternal, despite the various corporate commitments. The two lovebirds have weathered many storms and remained stronger than imagined.
Mr. Akpani Walter is managing Director/CEO, Providus Bank – a new bank with the regional license he unveiled its brand identity in April 2017. He’s a seasoned banker with more than 20 years of top-level experience in the banking business. He knows the inside out of the banking system.
He has played the roles of a start-up tactician and a turnaround engineer for a number of banks and has what it takes to build a bank in a bad weather and give it a firm standing.
Akpani holds a master of science degree in finance from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, the school is Glasgow’s second-oldest university, receiving its royal charter in 1964 as the UK’s first technological university. It takes its name from the historic Kingdom of Strathclyde.
Akpani is a seasoned banker with over two decades of experience. His career trajectory has been through Natwest Bank UK, ICON Merchant Bank/ICON Stockbrokers, Commercial Trust Bank, Standard Trust Bank Plc and Platinum Bank Limited. He has been actively involved in bank start-ups in Nigeria. He was a pioneer staff member with ICON Stockbrokers, a restructuring team member at Commercial Trust Bank, pioneer staff at Standard Trust Bank Plc now United Bank for Africa, UBA and pioneer staff at Platinum Bank Ltd.
He is a distinguished treasurer in the Nigerian banking industry, having led the treasury departments of ICON Stockbrokers and Commercial Trust Bank. He also served as group head, financial institutions department in Standard Trust Bank and group head, investment banking at Platinum Bank Limited
Akpani disengaged from Platinum Bank Ltd as vice president, institutional banking to start United Mortgage Bank Limited which capitalised in 2015 and got a licence a year later. A change agent with very strong interpersonal skills and industry depth, he is well respected within and outside the industry and has been able to build up an effective network of contacts and associates in most strategic sectors of the Nigerian economy.
He is married to Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Northwest Petroleum & Gas Company, Winifred Akpani.
Dame Winifred Akpani is equally a seasoned Chartered Accountant and accomplished Business Executive who happen to the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Northwest Petroleum & Gas Co. Ltd, an indigenous petroleum products marketing company that is doing quite well.
As a director of several other businesses ranging from the banking sector to the travel and immigration industry, she is indeed a thoroughbred professional who is driven by integrity, ambition, hard work, and excellence.
She holds a B.SC degree in Mathematics from the University of Benin, and a post-graduate diploma in Computer Science from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State. And with over 27 years garnered experience in the corporate world, she has indeed created a household brand identity from herself.
Over the years Northwest Petroleum & Gas Company Limited has grown to be a solid brand with International repute.
The Company has vast experience in the importation, supply, distribution and storage of Petroleum Products and is also actively involved in the official export of Crude Oil from Nigeria being one of the twenty-one Companies approved by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the allocation and export of Nigerian Crude Oil.
Northwest Petroleum & Gas Company had just opened another massive Gas Station along Gbagada Expressway, with a beehive of motorist patronizing the brand almost every minute.
In addition, with her personable personality, she is a humanitarian that is actively involved in charity donations that posed to better the state of humanity. She is indeed a visionary billionaire with the heart of gold.
The power couple endured many years of marriage without a child, until two years ago when Winifred and Walter welcomed their first child.
However, through fortunate seasons and her most trying spell, Walter stood unflinchingly by Winifred, urging her to seek solace in God’s ceaseless mercies.
