H.E. Governor Godwin Obaseki

His Excellency Godwin Obaseki is the former Governor of Edo State, Nigeria. He began his career in finance and established a strong track record in investment banking, asset management, securities trading, and public sector reform both internationally and in Nigeria. He founded Afrinvest West Africa Limited (formerly Securities Transactions & Trust Company Limited – SecTrust) in 1995, serving as its pioneer Managing Director.

As Governor, Mr. Obaseki was at the forefront of re-enacting governance in Nigeria and was a strong proponent of using technology in government to deliver efficient services to the people. Under his leadership, Edo became the only state in Nigeria to fully adopt e-governance, ensuring that government correspondence became paperless.

His innovative policies and programs included the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation initiative, “EdoBEST,” which tackled learning poverty through technology; and a strong focus on public-private partnerships to enhance investment, promote industrialization, and stimulate economic growth. He also spearheaded the Edo State Oil Palm Programme, positioning Edo as a frontrunner in oil palm production in Africa. In addition, Mr. Obaseki created the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, a state-of-the-art facility supporting film and music production to expand opportunities within the creative industry.

Governor Obaseki holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics from the University of Ibadan and an MBA in Finance and International Business from Columbia University in New York.