Director
Joseph E. Nwakwue is a seasoned petroleum engineer and policy expert with over three decades of diverse experience in the oil and gas industry, spanning technical operations, commercial strategy, policy development, and regulatory advisory.
He holds a Bachelor's and Master's Degrees, in Petroleum Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, and an MBA from Lincoln University, California. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and a registered engineer with COREN. He is also an active member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Nigerian Gas Association, and the Nigerian/International Association of Energy Economists.
Joseph has held leadership and advisory roles across some of the most prominent energy institutions in Nigeria and internationally. He is the Lead Partner at Zera Advisory & Consulting, where he provides strategic guidance to both private and public sector clients on oil and gas policy, regulation, and business development. He also serves as General Manager, Technical and JPMT Subsurface Lead at CMES-OMS JV Petroleum Development Ltd. Previously, he was Special Adviser (Policy & Regulation) to the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, where he co-authored key national policies and legislative instruments, including the National Gas Policy and Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Earlier in his career, Joseph spent over 20 years at Mobil Producing Nigeria and ExxonMobil in technical leadership positions, including as Global Simulation Advisor and Reservoir Engineering Specialist. His technical work has led to significant production optimization, reserves additions, and cost reductions across multiple fields and regions, including Nigeria, Angola, Russia, and Kazakhstan.
A prolific speaker and thought leader, Joseph has authored and presented over 30 papers and policy briefs on petroleum engineering, energy transition, fiscal reform, and regulatory strategy. He has been instrumental in advancing Nigeria’s gas commercialization agenda and supporting reforms for transparency and efficiency in the sector. He has served on multiple ministerial and technical committees, including the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialization Program and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) National Action Committee.
Beyond his above achievements, he is also a highly accomplished energy economist and engineering executive with a robust background in financial advisory, economic evaluation, and strategic investment planning across the oil, gas, and infrastructure sectors. He has led complex fund-raising efforts, executed large-scale feasibility studies, and advised on multi-million-dollar investment portfolios.
As Lead Partner at Zera Advisory & Consulting, he has spearheaded numerous financial and commercial advisory mandates for both private and public sector clients, including successful capital raises exceeding $300 million for upstream development and infrastructure projects. He has led comprehensive economic viability assessments and market studies across the energy value chain, developed investment frameworks for gas commercialization, and structured financial models for downstream ventures, including LPG, refining, and petrochemical businesses. His financial acumen is further evidenced by his contributions to Nigeria’s oil and gas fiscal reforms, including co-authoring the National Oil and Gas Fiscal Policy and participating in high-level engagements on taxation, gas pricing, and investor incentives under the Petroleum Industry Act.
Through his extensive volunteer service in SPE and other professional organizations, Joseph continues to mentor the next generation of energy professionals and shape discourse on Nigeria’s energy future.