Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals and Fertilizer Company Limited has been hailed as Nigeria’s most successful privatization model, as the company’s long-serving spokesman, Dr. Jossy Nkwocha, bows out after 18 years of service.
At an event tagged “Happy Hour” held at the company’s industrial complex in Eleme, Rivers State, media stakeholders and senior staff gathered to celebrate Nkwocha’s outstanding tenure as Head of Corporate Communications and Special Adviser to the Managing Director.
Nkwocha, a former Bureau of Public Enterprises official and veteran journalist, joined Indorama in 2007 shortly after its privatization.
Over the years, he became the face of the company’s public image and was credited with sustaining a cordial relationship with the media while promoting the brand’s transformation from a struggling government-owned plant into a multi-billion-dollar private-sector success.
Reflecting on his journey, Nkwocha said his relationship with the media was central to his achievements.
“When I joined Indorama from the BPE, I visited the NUJ and the Correspondents’ Chapel in Port Harcourt to seek media support. Today, I look back and say thank you for 18 years of working without a single media crisis,” Nkwocha said.
He formally introduced his successor, Mr. Justice Bibiye, a seasoned journalist and former correspondent with AIT, urging media professionals to extend the same goodwill to him.
“This event is simply to appreciate you. I have done my bit, and I am stepping aside officially on May 31. I urge you to support Mr. Bibiye, who is stepping into my shoes,” Nkwocha added.
Representing the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Manish Mundra, Indorama’s Chief Technical Officer, Mr. Sivadas Deepu, praised Nkwocha’s professionalism and lauded the company’s media relationship under his leadership.
“Dr. Nkwocha is a thoroughbred communications professional. He didn’t just lead the department; he made it his own. He has left very big shoes to fill. I urge him not to retire, but to ‘re-tyre’ and take his professionalism to new heights.
Deepu noted that Indorama’s success story was a reflection of the possibilities of privatisation when managed with integrity, vision, and effective stakeholder engagement.
“Our HSE and CSR efforts are just as important as our production. We thank the media in Rivers State for your collaboration,” he said.
Chairman of the Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Comrade Paul Bazia, described Indorama as a prime example of successful privatization.
“Indorama is one of the most successful companies that emerged from the federal government’s privatization exercise. From a moribund public asset, it has become a company to reckon with. We are proud to be part of this journey,” Bazia said.
He further commended Indorama for supporting journalism in the state, referencing the company’s role in the just-concluded World Press Freedom Day celebration.
Incoming spokesperson Mr. Justice Bibiye thanked the media for the warm reception, describing the event as a reunion with colleagues.
“I started my media career here in Rivers before being posted to the State House in Abuja. Returning in this new capacity feels like homecoming,” Bibiye said.
“Indorama is a critical national asset contributing significantly to Nigeria’s economy. I will need your support to continue telling its story.”
The event, which attracted over 100 journalists, featured Indorama’s plant tour for media professionals.
Guests were guided through the company’s sprawling, greenery-lined petrochemical and fertilizer facilities, which remained operational even during turnaround maintenance, a feat industry watchers say is rare in Nigeria.
Veteran journalist and analyst Ignatius Chukwu noted, “We didn’t know turnaround maintenance could be done profitably without shutting down operations. Indorama has shown it’s possible.”
Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Susan Serekara, also used the opportunity to advocate for greater inclusion of women in Indorama’s employment, CSR, and media engagements.
The event ended on a high note with laughter, photo sessions, and renewed commitment to collaboration between Indorama and the media community.
