Date Published: 12/08/10

Profile of an Achiever: For Amaechi Ndili, it's honour from distant land

Amaechi Ndili

The Millennium Excellence Awards is the most prestigious international Awards event in West Africa as it celebrates outstanding Achievement and Excellence by Africans . The calibre of people who have acquired these appreciated accolades such as J.J Rawlings, Kofi Annan, Kwame Nkrumah and a number of others, only goes to reflect the enormity of the Millennium Excellence Awards. The recipients of these awards have been recognized as exceptional for their enormous contributions, toiling tirelessly and serving the Continent relentlessly thereby contributing to the socio-economic development of Africa. Which is why, it does not come as a shocking revelation for a renowned entrepreneur, who has paved the way as a role model showing that hard work, determination and focus can lead to success, is due to be recognized in the 2010 presentation of the award and this person is none other than “ Mr. Amaechi Ndili.”

Mr. Ndili has been lauded for his persistence and good business sense, which were portrayed as key causes of his firm’s success. With his keen eye for the growing opportunities in the West African region and h aving the spirit, attitude and qualities of an entrepreneur, he went on to establish Lionstone Group in 2004, b y bringing together superior market access, world class strategy development, tactical execution, and superior access to financial and human capital. Lionstone has become a business platform that operates across asset intensive sectors of this emerging West African economy.

According to the Millennium Excellence Award Foundation, Ndili’s formal investiture that is slated to hold on December 4, 2010, would be witnessed by important dignitaries, including the President of the Republic of Ghana, John Evans, Atta Mills, Diplomatic Missions in the West African Country and his colleagues from across the continent as well as other honourees of the award which include Wole Soyinka, Cyril Ramaphosa, Chief Igbinedion, Maman Ghadaffi, James D. Wolflenshin former President of the World Bank and Professor Serajeldin an Egyptian for his work in scientific research.

He has won laurels over the years for setting standards in the Real Estate Industry across the globe. In equal measure he has also garnered awards for championing charity causes, which have endeared him to many within and outside our shores. It is therefore, well deserved that the Asantehene of the Asante people of Ghana, His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the life patron of the Millennium Excellence Award Foundation has found Mr. Amaechi Ndili worthy to be awarded the prestigious Black Star of Africa Prize.

Mr. Amaechi Ndili was recommended for the notable award by his continuous contributions, business interests and projects that cut across West Africa, which when completed will impact the lives of millions of West Africans. A Wharton MBA (University of Pennsylvania) and University of Bath and University of Nigeria Alumnus, co-founder and CEO of Lionstone Group is a prominent entrepreneur who depicts impeccable personal qualities, including a competitive spirit, love of taking calculated risks, and technical knowledge resulting in a holding company with investment in Real Estate, Offshore Marine Services and largest indigenous owner of Self Elevating Oil Platforms (SEWOPS), heavy construction equipment leasing and hospitality industry across West Africa, boasting an employee base of over 600 people. He also conceptualised and built a world class team , including the world renowned architect Rem Kool Haas, around delivering a 4 th mainland bridge in Lagos State, a missing and critical piece of infrastructure in the city’s fabric, now called the Missing Link, in collaboration with Lagos State government. A project so innovatively structured that it speaks to the genius of his mind and the richness of his thinking, such that when completed, the traffic jams which has brought the city of Lagos to a standstill will be a thing of the past.

Under his guidance his firm signed a partnership agreement with Golden Tulip Hospitality Group headquartered in Amsterdam and who recently merged with Louvre Hotels, to open at least seven hotels across West Africa with focus on Nigeria and Ghana. Amaechi and his group have found enterprising and entrepreneurial solutions perennial problem of finding competitively priced capital and global world class operational skills to operate and grow businesses in the West Africa region. He is one of the “new generation” entrepreneurs and business founders, who saw early value in seeing West Africa as a near homogenous geographical unit, and sought early on to build relationships, business platforms that span the region and making integrity a critical element of his business pursuits.

Prior to founding Lionstone Group with his financial backers, Amaechi Ndili was a Managing Director at GE Capital Real Estate group. He had previously worked for Mckinsey and Co. as a Strategy Consultant, where part of his work involved working towards deregulation of the California Power Pool as well as providing strategic advice to companies doing business in the Real Estate, Oil & Gas and Power and Utilities sectors. Before then he was an Investment Banker with the Leveraged Finance Group at Credit Suisse First Boston.

The organisers said, Ndili has “proven to the world beyond reasonable doubt that Africa is worth dying for: that honesty prevails always and for your deeds, you have made Nigeria a shining star for the world to exemplify.”

Saluting Ndili’s “unwavering and resolute stand” for his vision and mission to support the emancipation of West Africans and contribute to the economy of the region, the award organizers could not but praise Mr Amaechi Ndili. He has done Africa proud and deserves to be honoured with the award, which comes up once in every five years. We hope that Africans do not only marvel at Ndili’s accomplishments but aspire to emulate such wonderful qualities that have elevated him to where he is today.