Mrs. Ninikanwa Okey-Uche was born on 30 May 1972 in Enugu State, Nigeria into the family of Nze Herbert Chikwe and Amb. Dr. Kema Chikwe, as the second of 5 children. She hails from Emekuku in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria.
From 1980 to 1988, she attended the exclusive Ashdown House Preparatory School in Sussex, England, for her Primary education and one of the top girls schools in England – Roedean School in Brighton, for her Secondary education. Thereafter, she attended the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State, Nigeria, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree in Foreign Languages in 1993. She also obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Foreign Service Academy (FSA) in Lagos, Nigeria in 1996 and went on to acquire a Master’s Degree in International Politics (with Distinction) from the European Centre for International and Strategic Studies (CERIS), Brussels, Belgium in 2005. She is currently doing her PhD in Security and Strategic Studies at Nasarawa State University, Nigeria.
Mrs Okey-Uche fulfilled her mandatory National Youth Service in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at the Presidential Villa (Aso Rock), as a Protocol Officer from 1994 to 1995, during which she distinguished herself and earned a Letter of Commendation from the NYSC Director-General and was subsequently employed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) at the end of her youth service. She has served in several strategic capacities at home and abroad over the past nearly twenty-nine (29) years which include: Personal Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs (1996-1999), Special Assistant to the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters (who then became the Honourable Minister of Health and retained her services from 1999-2002), Assistant Chief Protocol Officer (ACPO) and then Assistant Director of Protocol (ADOP) to the Vice President and as Special Assistant, Operations and General Liaison (SA OGL) to the President, all from 2007 to 2011. Culminatedly, she has served in Aso Rock under the 3 different administrations of President Abacha, President Yar-Adua and Vice President Jonathan. She also served as the Special Assistant to the Special Envoy to Chad and the Lake Chad Basin Region.
Her diplomatic postings abroad include Brussels-Belgium (with concurrent accreditation to Luxembourg – 2002 to 2006), The Hague-Netherlands (2011 to 2014), New York-USA (2017 to 2020) and is currently on her 4th diplomatic posting as a Minister at the Embassy of Nigeria, Beijing, China. Her postings established her as an expert multilateralist, having covered the ACP-EU, OPCW and UN, in the course of her career.
Mrs. Okey-Uche is a Member of the National Institute (mni), having successfully completed the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 44, 2022, at the highly esteemed National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, where she was elected as the Deputy Monitor-General (DMG) of her Course. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria (FCPA), a Member of the International Institute of Certified Forensic Investigation Professionals, USA (CFIP), a Member of the Institute of Directors, Nigeria (MIoD), a Member of the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN), an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals in Nigeria (CFIA), an Associate Member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and an Associate Member of the Chartered Examiners of Criminology and Forensic Investigation Inc., USA (ACECFI).
She is fluent in English, French and Igbo, with a good grasp of Spanish. She has travelled to over 40 countries across the globe and lived in 4 continents – Africa (Nigeria), Europe (the United Kingdom (UK), The Netherlands and Belgium), North America (the United States of America – USA), and Asia (China). She is married to a lawyer with whom she is blessed with seven (7) children.
Her hobbies include International Travels, Music and Dancing, Sports, and Creative writing.
29 years of experience in the Nigerian Foreign Service.
Served directly under 3 different Nigerian Presidents as a Protocol Officer, Assistant Director of Protocol and Special
Assistant – Operations and General Liaison, respectively.
4 Diplomatic Postings – Belgium and Luxembourg, The Netherlands, The United States of America, and China.
Expert Bilateralist and Multilateralist, having covered the ACP-EU, OPCW, and the UN over the years.
Member of the distinguished and elite National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Nigeria.
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria (FCPA).
Member, International Institute of Certified Forensic Investigation Professionals, USA (CFIP).
Member, Institute of Directors, Nigeria (MIoD).
Member, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
Member, Chartered Institute of Forensic and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN).
Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals, Nigeria (CFIA).
Associate Member, Chartered Examiners of Criminology and Forensic Investigation Inc., USA (ACECFI).
Well-travelled to over 40 countries of the world and lived on 4 continents.
Speaks English, French and Igbo.
Continuous impact in Diplomacy, International Relations, Women Empowerment, and International Politics.
A published Poet and an avid Creative Writer.
Currently a PhD student of Security and Strategic studies.
Currently in charge of Tourism on behalf of the Embassy of Nigeria, Beijing.
A working wife and mother of 7 children