Distinguished economist and communications expert, Chief Marcel Okeke, has joined National Daily as a weekly columnist. NationalDailyng.com, an online news platform is a reference point of contemporary journalism shaping the opinion of readers through balanced and well researched news content.
He will be bringing his wealth of experience gathered over the years to provide concise analyses, especially in the business environment for the numerous readers of NationalDailyng.com. He begins with the masterpiece on the outlook of Nigeria’s economy in 2022 – https://nationaldailyng.com/nigerian-economy-2022-so-foggy-so-cloudy/
Okeke, who is the Lead Consultant/CEO, Mascot Consult & Communications Limited, has served as Chief Economist, Chief Sustainability Officer and Divisional Head of Research & Economic Intelligence Group at Zenith Bank Plc between 2004 and 2017. He was also Group Coordinator, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) of the bank.
Before joining Zenith Bank as Senior Economic Strategist (2004), Okeke has had a multi-sectoral exposure covering the oil and gas industry, media and marketing communications consultancy.
He worked with the best known newspapers in Nigeria, including The Guardian, The Punch, Concord and Champion newspapers. He served at one point as the editor of the highly influential ‘Business Concord’ Newspaper and Business Editor of The Punch.
Okeke has also served as Divisional Head of Information Management and Media at Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Eastern Division, Port-Harcourt, Rivers state.
He was also Team Leader at the African Basic Economy (Consultancy), Lagos. At the point of joining Zenith Bank in 2004, Okeke was a full time member of the Editorial Board and in-house economist of Guardian Group of Newspapers, Lagos.
He contested election in 2017 to be the deputy governor of Anambra State, where he was the running mate to Chief Osita Chidoka, former aviation minister & corps marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
At various time, he served on the Boards of the Digital Bridge Institute, Abuja; Nigeria Internet Group; NEPAD Business Group Nigeria; Growing Businesses Foundation (GBF); Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Paradise Island School, Ikota, Lagos, NEPAC Awards, M-Share Solutions Limited, among others.
Marcel Okeke is a Senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria; Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC); Fellow, Chartered Institute of Credit Administrators (FICA); Fellow, Chartered Institute of Portfolio Management (FCPM); Fellow, Chartered Institute of Corporate Administrators (FCICA); Member, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE); Member, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (MNIPR); Member, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), among others.
He holds a B. Sc. (Honours) degree in economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), M.Sc. (economics) and was honoured as a “Distinguished Economist” by his Alma mater in 2014.
He also holds a Master of Business Administration MBA (with finance) from the University of Uyo, Nigeria as well as a specialist certificate in financial analysis from the Centre for Foreign Journalists, Reston, Virginia, USA, among others.
He has served as secretary to the Bankers’ Committee on Bank Customers’ Identity Management (2012-2014), leading to the Bank Verification Number (BVN) scheme.
He also served on several committees of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), including the Research and Strategy Committee where he was the only who served for ten years at a stretch.
Okeke who is married to Mrs. Udoka A. Okeke and blessed with five children, is a community leader, philanthropist and mentor to many.
He is currently patron of Ogbunka Development Union (ODU), Lagos Branch.