EMMANUEL A. UKPABI
EMMANUEL A. UKPABI was the Group Managing Director, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc a position he occupied since January 2002 until he retired on 31st March, 2013 and was elevated to the position of Non-Executive Vice Chairman.
EMMANUEL A. UKPABI studied at the University of Ibadan and proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry (1970). He further studied at Ashridge Management College and attended Advance Management Programme of the Lagos Business School in 1996 as well as IESE Management Programme, Spain in 1998. He also participated in a good number of technical and management training programmes in the UK, USA and Switzerland.
Chief Ukpabi who virtually spent his entire working career at FMN demonstrating a high level of passion, dedication and competence, joined as a Management Trainee in 1972 and gained vast experience in milling and management over the years. He held several challenging managerial positions including Macaroni Production Manager, Mill Production Manager and Golden Penny Flour Production Manager. He was appointed Production Director in 1990, Personnel Director in 1999 and Flour Operations Director in 2000. Chief Ukpabi renowned miller well known for his pioneering efforts in pasta production and which led to the remarkable growth from a mere 18 metric tons per day to its present position.
Until March, 2003, Chief Ukpabi was the Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Bag Manufacturing Company Plc which has become a division of FMN. He sits on the Board of Northern Nigerian Flour Mills Plc, Apapa Bulk Terminal Ltd, Golden Sugar Company Limited and other FMN subsidiaries.
In 2001, Chief Ukpabi spearheaded FMN’s team which was responsible for the acquisition of Calcemco from its Liquidator and renamed it United Cement Company of Nigeria Ltd (UNICEM). He was foundation chairman of UNICEM, which currently operates a 2.5 million metric tons per annum cement plant at Mfamosing, Calabar. Currently he remains on UNICEM’s Board as a non-executive director.
Chief Ukpabi, who served as President of the Association of Food Beverages and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) from 2008 to 2010, represents AFBTE on the Council of NECA and currently serves as Council Member of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).
Chief Ukpabi, who has bagged a number of awards is a knight of John Wesley and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Marketing; Nigerian Institute of Management and Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology. In 2008, he was awarded a Doctor of Science Degree Honoris Causa, by Lautech University, Ogbomoso, Osun State, Nigeria.