From ordinary trader to business mogul: How Ernest Obiejesi upped his game

It is a universal truism that nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion. This can best describe Ernest Obiejesi, the chairman and chief executive officer of Nestoil and the founder of the Obijackson Foundation, whose passion for education drove to go back to school after many years of being an ordinary trader with his father.

Born on April 17, 1960 in Okija of Anambra State, where he grew up before moving to Onitsha, where he started his primary education at St. Johns School Fegge, before the Civil War started in 1967, which cut Obiejesi schooling trajectory short for three years.

After the war, he returned to school at New Bethel Primary School in Onitsha. In 1973, he graduated and moved over to Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha for his secondary education.

He later proceeded to Government College, Owerri, Imo State, where he obtained a Higher School Certificate (HSC).

As it is common with most people southeast of Nigeria, especially after the Biafra war, Obiejesi went to learn trade, while working with his father.

However, just like the man, who at age 94, registered for 2025 JAMB, driven by passion, Obiejesi drunk with passion for more knowledge, returned to school for his bachelor’s degree in Accountancy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and master’s degree in Business Administration at the University of Benin.

Obiejesi grew from his humble beginning to enviable heights because he opted to up his game through education bearing in mind that he needs knowledge to conquer his world and become the best he can be.

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Today, the rewards of his decision to take the hard journey in his quest for knowledge can be seen in his array of degrees, and the glittering Nestoil Towers in Lagos.

The ordinary trader turned business tycoon who started Nestoil with just 10 staff, has grown the business to a company of 3,000 staff.

Besides, he has moved the company from a single-room office in Idumagbo Avenue in Lagos Island to a conglomerate with services spanning oil and gas pipeline construction, pressure vessel manufacturing, civil construction works, dredging, horizontal directional drilling, major steel fabrication, aviation, exploration and production, drilling, and engineering.

Obiejesi, the man who did not give up on his dreams, now owns the following seven assets: Neconde Exploration and Production Limited: established in Lagos on October 19, 2011. It is a household name in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

The company secured a substantial 45-percent stake in OML 42, an esteemed oil mining license nestled in the Niger Delta, through a triumphant bid of $585 million.

Interwamaco Limited: established on October 17, 2011, in Lagos, and has emerged as a leading force in waste management services.

Nestoil Upstream: established in 1999, and boldly reshapes industry norms by revolutionising pipeline construction, maintenance, and repair standards.

Nesto Aviation Services Limited: founded in August 2013; and it is the aviation arm of the esteemed Obijackson Group, providing secure air travel both domestically and beyond Nigeria’s borders.

Smile Communications Nigeria Limited: the company sparks transformation through pioneering 4G LTE mobile broadband networks across Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda.

With speeds reaching an impressive 21Mbps, Smile empowers users with rapid data access, propelling these regions toward development and prosperity by connecting millions with optimal broadband and voice services.

Energy Works Technology (EWT): a private entity established in 1999, and has tremendously impacted Nigeria’s and other west Africa’s industrial fabric.

From its origins as a light-duty fabricator, EWT’s evolution into a paramount process equipment manufacturer, steel fabricator, and oil and gas EPCI service provider underscores its ascent as a pivotal supplier of essential industry components.