Born on 27 September 1963, Olusegun Awolowo was a lawyer but was best known for serving as the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) between 2013 and 2021.
He was the first grandson of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
After a successful tenure at the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, the late Olusegun was, in July 2021,unanimously elected as President of the National Trade Promotion Organizations (TPOs) from ECOWAS member states.
The early life of the former NEPC Executive Director’s early life was signposted by a huge personal loss as his father, Segun Awolowo Sr., died in a car accident in 1963, while defending his father and the first Premier of the old Western Region who was then standing trial for treasonable felony.
Olusegun Awolowo was just two months old at the time of his father’s tragic death while driving to Lagos for a court session.
That early tragedy made the young Olusegun to spend his childhood with his aunt, Evangelist Tola Oyediran, and her husband, Kayode Oyediran, though he initially lived with his mother (Abba Folawiyo, founder of the highly successful Labanella Fashion House in Surulere, Lagos) as well as his siblings.
The late Olusegun Awolowo began his education at Mayhill Convent School, attending alongside Dolapo Osinbajo. For his secondary education, Mr Awolowo attended Igbobi College in Lagos before completing his studies at Government College, Ibadan. He later proceeded to Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University), where he earned an LLB degree.
He was called to the Nigerian Bar in December 1989, and later worked with several respected law firms, including Abayomi Sogbesan & Co. and G.O.K. Ajayi & Co.
Olusegun Awolowo’s public service career included roles as Special Assistant to Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, where he handled traditional institutions, legal matters, and social development.
In 2013, he was appointed Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council ,NEPC, a position he held through reappointment by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018. Under his leadership, the NEPC pursued initiatives such as a 2019 partnership with Shoprite to distribute Nigerian products across Africa.
As NEPC chief, he oversaw several initiatives aimed at boosting Nigeria’s non-oil exports and strengthening the country’s global trade presence.
Until his death, he was the President of the National Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs) from ECOWAS member states.
