The Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) has elected marketing communications expert and Managing Director of PHD Nigeria, Dozie Okafor, as its new president, alongside other executives.
Dozie was elected during the 2024 Annual General Meeting held in Lagos. Also, Brenda Nwagwu, Managing Director, QVT Media was elected as Vice-President; Ijeoma Okafor, Secretary; Olufunmilola Bamgboye, Assistant Secretary; Henry Ononiwu, Publicity Secretary; and Olufunmi Fajusigbe, Assistant Publicity Secretary.
The election was described as the most competitive in the history of the association, with members vying for all competitive positions except the presidency and marks the end of Dr. Femi Adelusi’s four-year tenure, under which the association saw various advancements and growth.
In his new role, Dozie will work with his team of MIPAN executives to spearhead the association’s affairs, champion its causes, and drive its growth, among other responsibilities, for the next two years.
Prior this position, Dozie had been the Vice President of the association, where he worked hand in hand with Dr. Adelusi in advancing the interest of the association.
Dozie Okafor’s career journey began at OMD Nigeria in 2007. A trained electrical engineer from the University of Nigeria and an alumnus of the Lagos Business School, he has worked across numerous brands at both OMD Nigeria and OMD Ghana. He later joined PHD Nigeria, where he served for five years as the pioneer Head of Strategy and Planning, handling key accounts such as Twinings Nigeria, LaCasera Co. Ltd, Nutrifoods, SC Johnson, Bang & Olufsen, Martini Rose, L’Oreal, Ariston Thermo, NCC, Kalbe International, Distell SA, Huawei, Apple, Moet Hennessy, and PZ Cussons.
Dozie has also gained experience on the client side of the industry, serving as the Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) lead for Coca-Cola Nigeria’s West Africa Business Unit, where he managed regional IMC and Media/Assets Development.
Dozie returned to PHD Nigeria in June 2017 as Managing director and makes sure to reinforce its success.
His expertise has been recognized internationally, as he has served on the jury of local and international awards platforms, including as a juror for the Media Lions category at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Additionally, he was part of a 140-strong jury panel at the Loeries in South Africa in 2018.
With his diverse experience and industry recognition, stakeholders believe that Dozie is well-positioned to lead MIPAN in its next chapter, building upon the achievements of the previous administration.