Okoroma Emerges FIDIC Africa President – THISDAYLIVE

Vanessa Obioha

Nigerian engineer, Engr. George Okoroma, has emerged President of FIDIC Africa at the 31st FIDIC Africa Infrastructure Conference held in Accra, Ghana.

Okoroma was inaugurated during the conference organised by the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Africa in collaboration with the Ghana Consulting Engineers Association from May 10 to 13, 2026.

The conference, themed “Future-Ready Infrastructure: Advancing Africa Through Innovation and Sustainability,” brought together consulting engineers, policymakers, development finance institutions and infrastructure experts from across the continent to discuss Africa’s infrastructure development challenges and opportunities.

Okoroma succeeds Engr. Rizwan Qadri of Tanzania and becomes the first Nigerian to lead the continental consulting engineering body in recent history.
Speaking after his inauguration, Okoroma described his emergence as a call to service and a responsibility to strengthen Africa’s infrastructure future.

“This is the result of earned progression — nearly four decades of engineering practice, institutional service, and continental engagement,” he said. “Africa’s infrastructure future depends on empowering local engineers, enforcing the policies we already have on paper, and building the next generation’s capacity to lead.”

Before becoming president, Okoroma served in several leadership capacities within FIDIC Africa. He was elected into the Executive Committee in 2016 at the organisation’s General Assembly in Marrakesh, Morocco, later served as Honorary Treasurer, became Deputy President in 2024 and was confirmed President-Elect in 2025.

At the conference, delegates examined issues surrounding infrastructure financing, procurement reforms, climate resilience, local content development and innovation in Africa’s engineering sector.

Discussions also focused on strategies for addressing Africa’s infrastructure financing gap, estimated by the African Development Bank at between $130 billion and $170 billion annually.

Participants called for stronger partnerships between governments, development institutions and local engineering firms to drive sustainable infrastructure delivery across the continent.

Okoroma previously served as the 18th President of the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN), where he led the association through the COVID-19 pandemic by transitioning its operations to digital platforms.

Born in Omoku, Rivers State, Okoroma studied Civil Engineering at Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France, and later obtained a Master’s degree in Project Management from the University of Roehampton, London.

He is also the founder of Gambeta Nigeria Limited and GAPEC Consultants Limited, firms involved in infrastructure and engineering projects across Nigeria.

FIDIC Africa is the regional body representing African member associations of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers and promotes professional standards and sustainable infrastructure development across the continent.