Abimbola Olufore

Abimbola Olufore Wycliffe is a distinguished executive leader, industrial strategist, and transformation specialist with over 25 years of cross-sector experience spanning energy, industry, public policy, international development, and technology. Recognized for her ability to turn around underperforming sectors, strengthen governance systems, and drive large-scale economic reforms, she has built an exceptional reputation as a catalyst for sustainable industrial growth across Africa. She currently serves as Head of Investment and Technology Promotion for Nigeria at the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), where she leads national and cross-regional programmes focused on industrial revitalization, technology transfer, and sustainable investment attraction. In this role, she has spearheaded strategic reforms in Nigeria’s steel sector, directed high-impact industrial assessments—including Ajaokuta Steel Plant—and unlocked new investment pipelines through global partnerships and technology promotion platforms. Her work consistently strengthens Nigeria’s industrial competitiveness and aligns national development priorities with Industry 4.0 and clean-energy transitions. Abimbola’s career foundation in the energy sector—with leadership roles at Shell Nigeria, Schlumberger, USAID’s Power Africa Programme, and DFID’s FOSTER—provides her with deep technical, commercial, and regulatory expertise across the oil and gas value chain. She has led complex multi-stakeholder negotiations, structured multi-million-dollar gas commercialization and power-sector transactions, implemented transparency reforms, and contributed to some of the most ambitious energy governance initiatives on the continent, including Nigeria’s Gas Flares Commercialisation Programme. Her public-policy influence is equally significant. As Special Aide to the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, she contributed to the development of Nigeria’s National Quality Policy, National Trade Policy, National Investment Policy, and the update of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP). She also advanced Nigeria’s competitiveness rankings, strengthened PPP frameworks, championed MSME integration into AfCFTA, and expanded Nigeria’s digital and creative economy footprint. Abimbola is globally recognized for her excellence in strategic planning, corporate restructuring, trade facilitation, governance reform, investment promotion, stakeholder diplomacy, and sustainable industrial development. Her work is further enhanced by international exposure across Africa, Europe, North America, and the Middle East; advanced technical training in energy, law, and leadership; and fluency in English, French, Hausa, and Yoruba. A committed advocate for inclusive growth, she has founded and led multiple social-impact initiatives—such as the African Child Safety Foundation and VisionQuestAfrica Initiative—focused on child safety, women’s empowerment, sustainable agriculture, and community resilience. Her leadership is grounded in the values of integrity, excellence, and inclusive, cross-cultural engagement. With a blend of technical depth, policy expertise, and strategic foresight, Abimbola Olufore Wycliffe is a transformational leader shaping industrialization and energy-transition pathways across Nigeria and the African continent.