Stella Okotete, Executive Director (Business Development) of Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM) and Delta Ministerial Nominee, has been recognised by the Senate for her outstanding achievements.
The upper chamber praised her accomplishment in increasing the Bank’s non-oil exports and corporate fortunes.
The commendation came after Delta Central Senator Ede Dafinone sponsored a resolution during the ongoing ministerial screening exercise requesting his colleagues to enable Okotete to take a bow and go.
While moving the motion, Dafinone stated that he had the opportunity to work with Okotete during his one-year tenure as Non-Executive Director with NEXIM, and that the nominee was the engine room of the international respected bank.
“What the nominee did not mention was that her position as Executive Director of Business Development Unit meant she was in the bank’s engine room.”
“The business development unit is the NEXIM Bank’s operational department.”
“So, she was in charge of the bank’s operations, and in that capacity, she was able to grow the bank’s balance sheet and she has done exceptionally well.”
“I would also like to mention that, as a young woman, she has favoured youth and women in her bank policies, in addition to the policies she has implemented at home, encouraging young people in various departments and empowerment programmes.”
“She has also been instrumental in increasing non-oil exports, which are now the administration’s primary focus.”
“My colleagues said she has already distinguished herself; what I need to add is that I speak for my two Delta colleagues who are both fully supportive of the nominee.”
“I respectfully request that the Delta nominee be recognised.”
for her exceptional performance at NEXIM Bank, with the background that she has served one full term at NEXIM Bank and that the term was renewed about a year ago.
“This demonstrates that she has made a name for herself at the bank.” With that, I urge distinguished members to request that the Delta nominee please take a bow.
As a previous Woman Leader of the ruling party, APC, Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate, attested to Okotete’s contribution in women and youth development.
“Honestly, when she mentioned that she was a women leader of the greatest party in Africa, I just remembered that we are all from political parties, and in normal circumstances, the party is supreme,” he remarked.
Akpabio went on to invite the nominee to take a bow, and the answer was a thunderous ‘AYES’.
Earlier, the candidate, who was born in 1984, walked the Senate through her career and achievements, particularly in women and youth development, as well as her exploits at the NEXIM Bank.
“In 2017, the immediate past President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammad Buhari, found me worthy and appointed me, in accordance with the Act of Export and Import Bank, Sections 11, 8, and 14, as Executive Director of NEXIM Bank in charge of Business Development.”
“The functions of the ED Business Development of the Bank, which I still hold to this day, are to drive the business directorate of the Bank, to create quality risk assets, and to provide funding for non-oil exporters.”
“When we resumed in 2017, we had a balance sheet of N67 billion.” When our tenure was renewed in 2022, we had increased it to N256 billion.
“We also met a bank that had been losing money year after year for three years.”
“As of 2016, the bank had recorded over N6 billion in losses.” Today, the Nigerian Export and Import Bank stands side to shoulder with other global export banks, profitably, as one of Africa’s premier export lending institutions.
“I was also the women’s representative, popularly known as the Woman Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Caretaker Committee in 2020.”
“As Woman Leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress at the time, I was able to bring to bear quality representation for our women, and we established new policy that helped shape visibility for our women across the board.”
“One of them is the Progressive Women Academy, which has been approved by the Apple and Google stores.”
“It is an online academy where women can learn various self-skills to make themselves visible not only in business but also in politics.”(NAN)
