Who is Stella Okoli?

Stella Okoli is a Nigerian pharmacist, and chief executive officer of Emzor Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company.

Okoli celebrated her birthday party in Lagos on Tuesday where the iconic singer, Onyeka Onwenu, had her last performance.

Born in 1944, in Kano State, Okoli started her formal education at All Saints Primary School, Onitsha then had her secondary education in 1964 at Ogidi Girls Secondary School, Ogidi.

In 1969, Okoli graduated from the University of Bradford after studying Pharmacy. She also holds an M.Sc. certificate in Biopharmaceutical after graduating from the University of London, Chelsea College in 1971.

The Pharmacist married got married to a lawyer, Christopher Nnaemeka Okoli in 1970, with whom she had three children – Emeka Okoli, Uzoma Okoli and Chike Okoli.

She lost her son, Chike Okoli in 2005. After his death, Okoli started the Chike Okoli Foundation in 2006 as a non-profit organisation founded with the aim of fighting against poverty and diseases by raising awareness on cardiovascular diseases. She also runs the Chike Okoli Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies.

Prior to the establishment of Emzor Pharmaceutical, she had worked in several pharmaceutical firms including Middlesex Hospital, London, Boots the Chemists Limited and Pharma-Deko.

In January 1977, Okoli started Emzor Pharmaceutical with the initial name “Emzor Chemists Limited” as a small pharmacy retail shop in Somolu, Lagos.

Emzor Pharmaceutical has since become one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria with over 50 products since its incorporation in 1984.

Stella Okoli is a current member of the Economic Summit of Nigeria and the Health Matters Advisory Board of Nigeria.

She currently serves as the Vice President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture. She has also served as Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.