The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Omoku Branch, has honoured Engr. George Okoroma, following his emergence as President of FIDIC Africa, with the launch of his biography, ‘Edged in Excellence: Becoming a Leading Professional,’ at its 3rd Distinguished Annual Lecture.
The event, held at Astro Hall, Port Harcourt, also served as a homecoming reception for Okoroma, who served as the branch’s pioneer chairman from 2012 to 2015.
Written by his son, Chukwumela Okoroma, the roughly 400-page biography, which has 43 chapters, traces Okoroma’s journey from his early life and education in Omoku to his training in France and his emergence as a consulting engineer with more than four decades of experience in the profession.
The book, which features a foreword by the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, also contains tributes from family, friends and colleagues, reflections on Okoroma’s Christian faith, as well as an archive of his professional papers and keynote addresses on infrastructure development, engineering ethics, risk management and continuing professional development.
Reviewing the book, Dr. Emmanuel Dorgbaa, Founder and Executive Director of the African Institute of Public Speaking and Communication Excellence (AIPSCE), described it as four books in one — a life story, a collection of testimonies, a devotional and a professional archive.
He noted that more than a dozen independent voices spanning five decades described similar qualities in Okoroma, particularly his discipline and character.
Okoroma was born on July 4, 1952, into the Asah Okoroma family of Omoku, Rivers State. He trained as a civil engineer in Nigeria before proceeding to the Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France, where he obtained a Bachelor of Technology degree in Civil Engineering in 1981. He later obtained a Master of Science degree in Project Management from the University of Roehampton, London.
He founded Gambeta Groupe Limited, with GAPEC Consultants Limited as a subsidiary, and served as the 18th President of the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria. He now serves as President of FIDIC Africa, representing consulting engineering firms across the continent.
His career has also included service on the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the NSE and the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria, alongside infrastructure projects across Rivers State and the Niger Delta.
Speaking at the event, Okoroma attributed his career to his upbringing in Omoku, the support of his family and his faith, while urging consulting engineering firms in Nigeria and Africa to invest more deliberately in succession planning and the training of younger engineers.
He warned that firms built largely around the reputation of one individual could struggle to survive when that person steps aside.
The keynote speaker, Engr. Kunle Adebajo, President of the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria, also called for a shift from personality-led practices to institution-led firms with documented systems, clear governance structures and leadership pipelines.
Adebajo said the emergence of Okoroma as FIDIC Africa President presented an opportunity to strengthen conversations around professional standards, succession and greater participation of African consultants in major infrastructure projects on the continent.
Okoroma’s contributions to the engineering profession have earned him several honours, including the Distinguished Service Award of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, induction into the Construction Industry Hall of Fame and a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The organisers said ‘Edged in Excellence’ seeks to preserve his professional experiences and values for younger engineers and encourage them to build careers around technical competence, integrity, responsibility and service.