By Seun Ibiyemi
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has elected the Chief Executive Officer of Juhel Nigeria Limited, Dr. Ifeanyi Eric Okoye, OFR, mni, as its 12th president, ushering in a new leadership era for the country’s manufacturing sector amid persistent challenges confronting local industries.
Okoye was elected at the association’s 54th Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lagos. He succeeds Otunba Francis Meshioye, OFR, who completed his four-year tenure.
His emergence places an experienced pharmaceutical manufacturer and longtime MAN executive at the helm of the association, which represents the interests of manufacturers and advocates policies to strengthen industrial development, local production and economic growth in Nigeria.
As the new president, Okoye is expected to lead the association’s engagement with the Federal Government and other stakeholders on issues affecting manufacturers, including the operating environment, industrial competitiveness, investment and the sustainability of local production.
His background in pharmaceutical manufacturing and years of service within MAN are expected to inform his approach to the association’s advocacy for policies that support the growth and resilience of Nigerian industries.
Okoye is the chief executive officer of Juhel Nigeria Limited, a wholly indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing company headquartered in Enugu State.
He established the company in 1987, building it into a domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing business with operations spanning different product categories and production facilities.
In December 1989, Juhel moved to its permanent site in Emene, Enugu. The company subsequently expanded its facilities in 2001 to include the production of syrups and capsules.
In 2010, it opened a major parenteral manufacturing facility in Awka, Anambra State, further expanding its manufacturing footprint in the country’s pharmaceutical industry.
His experience in establishing and developing a wholly indigenous manufacturing company provides a practical background in the challenges and opportunities associated with domestic industrial production.
The experience is particularly relevant to the broader manufacturing sector, where local producers continue to seek an operating environment that supports investment, capacity expansion and competitiveness.
Okoye holds a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, as well as master’s and doctoral degrees in Pharmaceutical Technology and Industrial Pharmacy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
He graduated as the best student in his class, according to the association’s announcement.
He is a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and an alumnus of Harvard Business School in Boston, United States.
He also holds the Member of the National Institute (mni) designation after attending the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, Plateau State.
In recognition of his contributions, he was conferred the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2012.
Before his election as president, Okoye served the association in several leadership capacities, giving him considerable experience in its internal administration and engagement with manufacturers across different parts of the country.
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He served as chairman of MAN’s Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi States branches from 1998 to 2005 and subsequently held the position of vice president from 2006 to 2010.
His years of involvement in the association’s activities have provided him with an understanding of the concerns of manufacturers and the role of industry representation in shaping policies affecting the sector.
Beyond MAN, Okoye has served on several public-sector committees and institutional bodies.
These include the Ministerial Committee on the Establishment of World-Class Hospitals and Diagnostic Centres, where he served from 2013 to 2015, and the Governing Council of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, on which he served from 2009 to 2022.
His involvement in these bodies reflects his participation in engagements connecting industrial development, standards, healthcare infrastructure and national policy.
Okoye’s election marks the end of Meshioye’s four-year tenure as MAN president.
The association, through its leadership transition, is expected to continue representing manufacturers in engagements with policymakers and other stakeholders on issues affecting the country’s industrial development.
The new president’s experience in pharmaceutical production and previous leadership roles within MAN could prove significant as manufacturers seek stronger support for local production, industrial expansion and a more competitive business environment.
