Meet Our Team - Commodity Port

Commodity Port is a globally focused marketplace for all categories of commodities (e.g. agriculture, energy, mining, and solid minerals) where global buyers and finance providers can interact with local sellers and projects in a high trust and value creating environment. Commodity Port is well structured to provide the bespoke expertise, tools and technology to facilitate cross-border trade and finance.

Advisory Board

Akintunde Jekami

Akintunde Jekami has over 21 years of global industry experience and until recently held positions in Corporate Banking, Supply Chain Finance, Risk Management with Standard Chartered Bank. He previously held senior roles in Transaction structuring and Business Development in various jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and the Middle East and Nigeria financial services industry.

Within Commodity Port, Akintunde is responsible for strategic business development and global partnerships as a senior advisor and partner. Akintunde studied economics and possess a Master’s degree in Financial Management from the Bristol Business School, UWE, Bristol, UK. An associate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, he has attended various professionals and leadership programmes.

Stephen White

Stephen White is a chartered accountant by training with over 30 years of experience at senior and executive levels in the commodities, oil and gas engineering and services sectors. Stephen has extensive experience in leading and developing operations management teams in the manufacturing and related commodities segments. More recently, Stephen has been involved in the establishment of sustainability solutions for clients across multiple industries.

Within Commodity port, Stephen is responsible for strategic business development and client relations in the SE Asia region.

Dr Essien Efana-Okon

Dr Efana-Okon is a competent Oil & Gas professional with several decades of broad-based industry experience. He is a self-motivated professional known for being a highly organized, analytical, effective problem solver, with a proven ability to integrate human resources strategy into the overall organizational objective. He is certified in the use of the Hay Group Job Evaluation methodology.

An undergraduate of Geology from the University of Ibadan, with an MSc in Information Systems & Management from the Warwick Business School and a PhD in International Business Management from the International School of Management, Paris. Efana-Okon has strong business acumen, is a skilled negotiator and entrepreneurial advisor.

He is a certified ICF coach, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, UK and the Mentoring and Career Development Institute, Nigeria. He is a full, active member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Nigeria, a learning and development faculty and has served as an elected council member. He is passionate about mentoring, capacity development and preparation of young professionals. He is interested in the optimization of mentoring and work placements for career and personal development.

Management Team

Laide Gana

Laide is an executive and programme leader with extensive delivery experience in impact financing projects and entrepreneurial environments with a background in Financial markets including Investment Banking, Trading Technology and Commodities Trading. Laide has led and developed multiple businesses in emerging environments, particularly in the commodities value chains.

Laide is responsible for growing firm revenue across key commodity segments globally as well as the development of strategic client partnerships.

Laide holds a graduate degree in Economics and is a doctoral researcher at Aston Business school, UK, undertaking research into innovation frameworks as a developmental tool in the commodities value chains. An astute scholar, he holds an MBA from Warwick University, UK and a postgraduate degree from Brunel University, UK.

Regional Director, EMEA

Aminu Bawa Tukur

Aminu is a seasoned administrator and savvy businessman. With several years of experience delivering commercial projects, strategic procurement and public service initiatives.

Aminu is responsible for growing firm revenue across key commodity segments and the development of strategic client partnerships in the West African region and oversees all operational aspects in the region. He holds a graduate degree in Business Administration and an MBA.

Director, Nigeria

Nwanyibuife Lara Gana

Lara has over fifteen years of experience in Project Management and Business development/sales across the alternative assets’ spectrum covering commodities, real estate and venture capital funds.

A go-getter and experienced business development and sales specialist, Lara is responsible for business development efforts within the EMEA region. Lara holds a graduate degree in Geography and a master’s degree in strategic project management from the University College London, United Kingdom.

Lara also sits on the board of several businesses and portfolio companies.

Head, Business Development

Ojeakhena Victor

Victor’s focus lies on strategic marketing and partnership development for Commodity Port. With over 11 years of experience in marketing and a background that includes extensive knowledge of digital and traditional marketing channels.

Victor is a faceted marketing oriented person with hands-on experience in management, customer relations, business development, product and building brand familiarity. He is skilled in assessing ROI, time management, quantitative and qualitative analysis.

He is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Uk.

Head, Marketing & Comms