Dr Stella Chinyelu Okoli, OON, is an accomplished Pharmacist, Industrialist and Philanthropist who has made immense contributions to Nigeria, Africa, and the world at large.
In 1984 she incorporated Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries. Through handwork and perseverance, she has pioneered drug manufacturing and other allied health care areas in Africa, breaking the myth of the large multinationals by making available a wide range of quality drugs, affordable and available through an outstanding distributive network well endorsed by doctors and pharmacists across the country. She has succeeded in making the Emzor brand, a highly visible and acceptable one. It is a household name cutting across the social strata divide. There is also a national pride that goes with its acceptance that Dr Stella Chinyelu Okoli, OON, is an accomplished Pharmacist, Industrialist and Philanthropist who has made immense contributions to Nigeria, Africa, and the world at large. In 1984 she incorporated Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries. Through handwork and perseverance, she has pioneered drug manufacturing and other allied health care areas in Africa, breaking the myth of the large multinationals by making available a wide range of quality drugs, affordable and available through an outstanding distributive network well endorsed by doctors and pharmacists across the country. She has succeeded in making the Emzor brand, a highly visible and acceptable one. It is a household name cutting across the social strata divide. There is also a national pride that goes with its acceptance that lends credence to the backward integration policy of the Federal Government.
Today, the Emzor Group has grown like the proverbial Iroko tree and now has branches or subsidiaries such as Emzor Pharmacy and Stores, Emzor Hesco Limited, Zolon Healthcare Limited, and Frontwave Limited. These companies play in therapeutic segments that cut across healthy living, tropical medicine, orthocare, maternal and childcare as well as internal medicine. The Group has footprints in Sierra Leone and Liberia and boasts of an outlay of over 120 products within these segments.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Born in Kano, Northern Nigeria she attended All Saints Primary School Onitsha and Ogidi Girls’ Secondary School Ogidi, both in Anambra State, obtaining her West African School Certificate in 1964. She later proceeded to the United Kingdom for her tertiary education and successfully completed her degree programme in Pharmacy, obtaining a B.Pharm (Hons) in 1969. This academic achievement was closely followed by an MSc in Biopharmaceutics which she obtained from University of London, Chelsea College in 1971. She has attended numerous Executive Development and Management Programs across the world over the years such as The Harvard Business School Owner–Manager Program which she attended from 1997 to1999, the Chief Executive Programme of Lagos Business School and I.E.S.E, Business School, Barcelona, Spain.
ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY
She worked as a Ward/Clinical Pharmacist, at Middlesex Hospital in London, and later as a Pharmacist at Boots UK, formerly known as Boots the Chemist Ltd. She returned to Nigeria and worked at Massey Children Hospital, Lagos, before she joined a pharmaceutical manufacturing company, Park Davies Nigeria Limited (now Pharma-Deko Plc). At Pharma-Deko Plc, she worked as a Medical Representative and later as Sales Manager, due to her passion for marketing pharmaceutical products.
FOUNDING EMZOR PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED
In 1984, she founded Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, to manufacture high-quality pharmaceutical products and medical consumables. Its holding company, Emzor Chemists Limited opened for retail business in January 1977 in Yaba, Lagos.
The rapid growth of the retail business encouraged Emzor Chemists Limited to venture into the importation and wholesale of assorted pharmaceuticals. The idea to manufacture locally came later and this was predicated on the need to develop local capability, create jobs, and provide high quality pharmaceutical products and services to the Nigerian people at prices that are not only affordable but represent value. Emzor Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd. started pilot production in 1985. This was made possible with a loan of N100,000 obtained from First Bank Plc. By 1988 it had become an established pharmaceutical manufacturing company especially with the introduction of Emzor Paracetamol which is today a leading brand of analgesic not only in Nigeria but across Sub Saharan Africa.
The company produces from four world class factories including the WHO-certified and cGMP compliant Emzor Campus in Shagamu Ogun State, with facilities to make a wide variety of high-quality pharmaceutical products that meet international standards at affordable and competitive prices. All Emzor products are duly registered with NAFDAC.
The then secretary of Health to the Interim National Government Dr. Christopher Okojie officially commissioned the company’s factory in July 1993. The company has since attracted foreign missions, scholars, and students of pharmacy, microbiology, and chemistry. In April 1999, Prof. Debo Adeyemi, the Honorable Minister of Health, commissioned the factory extension.
From the modest beginning with four (4) products in 1987, we now manufacture in our factory a wide range of products in the analgesic, anti-malaria, vitamin/haematinics/ multivitamin supplement, anti-helmintic, antibiotics and therapeutic categories. The company has in its stable more than 140 high quality products, all duly approved by NAFDAC.
Today, Emzor has become a household name in Nigeria and a leader in the pharmaceutical market that is known for quality products at prices that offer real value. These products are widely distributed throughout Nigeria and the West African coast. It currently has heavy presence in West African countries like, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Mali, and Asia (India).
PHILANTHROPY
A philanthropist, Dr Okoli has supported several causes. She has awarded several scholarships to students in Secondary and Tertiary Institutions and donated generously to the less privileged in the society. She founded Chike Okoli Foundation (COF) in 2006 in memory of her beloved son Chike who died suddenly in his prime due to undetected cardiovascular ailment. With great zeal and passion, she has committed to the realization of the dual of objectives of promotion of entrepreneurship and cardiovascular health. The Foundation set up the Chike Okoli Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies, COCES at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The centre has trained more than 5000 students in the science and spirit of entrepreneurship. COF has reached over 15,000,000 people across Nigeria on lifestyle interventions. Dr Okoli is also actively involved in other nonfor-profit organizations such as the Aart of Life Foundation, FATE Foundation, LEAP AFRICA and Goddy Jidenma Foundation.
MEMBERSHIPS
Dr Okoli is a frontline promoter of the Pharmacy profession in Nigeria. She is a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and has played key developmental roles such as serving as the Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMGMAN). She is a member Health Matters Advisory Board of Nigeria. The Federal Government recently appointed her as the Chairperson of the Nigerian Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, NIPRD. She served as Non-Executive Director, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (2010 to 2014), and member of the Nigeria Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council.
AWARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS
She has been honored with many awards, in recognition of her tireless efforts, positive influence and landmark contributions. She was awarded the ‘Woman-Inthe Community’– Award in Nigeria by Soroptimist International, the oldest female service club, Outstanding Service Award by Rotary International and ECOWAS International Gold Award. She also bagged the International Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) Award. She has been conferred with the Member of the Order of the Niger, MON and the Officer of the Order of the Niger, OON by the President and CommanderIn-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Her other awards include ThisDay Annual Awards, 2012; Silverbird Lifetime Achievement Award, 2018; Trinity House of Nigeria Awardee as the Industrialist of the Year, and ECOWAS International Gold Award.
She is also a recipient of the FATE Model Entrepreneur Award; 2014 CePAT Honors Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2016 Ernst and Young Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as the 2016 Institute of Directors Lifetime Achievement Award.
THE WORLD OF EMZOR
Our Vision:
To be the leading healthcare company in Africa through the provision of world-class products and services.
Our Mission:
We have an unwavering commitment to provide our customers with healthcare products and services of consistently high quality, made readily available at prices which create value for all stakeholders. We continuously develop and reward people of integrity who subscribe to hard work and creativity as a means of achieving individual and corporate excellence.
Wellocracy:
We envision a world where Unlimited Wellness is made available to all and affordable by all.
Our Values:
- COMMITMENT
We recognize the customer as the centre of our entire operations, and we have a strong spiritual and mental resolve to the cause of improved wellbeing for all. As a result, we do not spare any resource or investment in projects and services that have direct impact on the wellbeing of our community.
- PASSION
We are a people with our passion rooted in the deep personal engagement of all staff who go the extra mile to deliver time valued quality products and services to the delight of our customers. Every project is handled to deliver real time and on time value.
- ENERGY
At Emzor, we strengthen our vertebrae, get up and go! Despite any obstacle, we strive to get the job done. Coming together, working together, and getting it done. We have a collegiate management system that actively seeks inputs for decision making. We are a great team on a relay where every component is important and valued.
- EXCELLENCE
We are a people who dare all odds, challenge the status quo, and cross all obstacles in achieving our goals and thus sustain our competitiveness and leadership in the industry. We invest in capacity building and competence enhancement to empower our people to deliver the highest quality products and services. We practice meritocracy to reward excellence and performance as a sure way for continued innovation, creativity, and career fulfilment.
- CHARACTER
In Emzor, honesty and transparency in all our operations are the hallmarks of our business and this forms the basis of our most minimum expectations from all stakeholders because we understand the value of trust and integrity in business as in life. We exhibit candor and authenticity, standing up for a cause, speaking out and speaking up.
Emzor has been recognized by numerous professional organizations’ certifications and by industry publications. Others have applauded our commitment to quality and our stellar business performance. The company is proud of the contributions made toward breathing health into the lives of people in Africa and around the world.
List of Certifications
• NAFDAC certification: All our products are registered by the appropriate regulatory authority in Nigeria (National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control).
Our Awards
As a result of our commitment to quality and excellent performance, we have been recognized. Among these numerous awards are:
• Best Indigenous (Nigeria) Pharmaceutical Manufacturer (Board of Fellows of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria).
• Pan Africa (PABHA) Best Award Winner on Entrepreneurial Business (Pan African Broadcasting House Association).
• Most Admired Nigerian Pharmaceutical Company (Chartered Institute of Marketing in Nigeria).
• West African Best Technology Driven Pharmaceutical Company (African Infotechs Award).
• Distinguished Florence Nightingale Partnership Award (National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives).
• Outstanding Indigenous Entrepreneur (Pharmanews).
• Appreciation awards from Handicapped Affairs Association of Nigeria, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and Association of Lady Pharmacists. Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited is a success because of its people. The management style is participatory and team leaders are people with vast experience and comprehensive education.
OUR TEAMS
• The Manufacturing Team The team consists mainly of the Production Unit, the Quality Assurance Unit, the Engineering Unit and the Materials\Logistics Unit. Personnel for the team are a cream of highly skilled and motivated professionals with a cumulative working experience of over 150 years achieved working in different companies both within and outside the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry.
In addition to qualifications obtained both at graduate and post-graduate levels from internationally renowned institutions of higher learning, team members have at various times attended technical and management training programs within and outside Nigeria. Technical trainings have been obtained at such organizations as Manesty Machines Limited, UK, Horn + Noack ROMACO Pharmatechnik GmbH, IMA Industria Machine Automatiche spa etc. Training on international analytical validation was organized by AMSCO / APDF, UK. Various reputable training institutions including the Lagos Business School have participated in training the management team.
• The Sales and Marketing Team employee in becoming the best he/she is capable of being. To this end, sound company policies and welfare packages to ensure actualization of company and individual aspirations are developed. The Finance team, comprising qualified and experienced accountants, has the important task of managing the company’s financial resources which include ensuring that proper records of transactions are kept and that funds are available for the smooth running of the organization.
The internal Audit team is made up of qualified and skilled auditors who ensure compliance with management policies and statutory regulations in order to reduce unintentional mistakes and irregularities.
OUR PRODUCT CATEGORIES
Emzor’s commitment to the highest quality and international best practices is unquestionable. All our products are duly registered with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.
• ANALGESICS such as Emzor Paracetamol, Emcap Extra, Emprim, Emzor Para1000, etc
• ANTACIDS such as Emtrisil etc
• ANTI-HISTAMINES
• ANTI-MICROBIALS/ ANTIBIOTICS
• ANTI-DIABETIC
• ANTI ESTROGEN
• ANTI- HELMINTICS – Zolat etc
• ANTI –HYPERTENSIVES
• ORS AND ANTIDIARRHOEA EG Emzolyte ORS plus Zinc
• ANTI-ULCER
• MULTIVITAMINS such as Emvit-C, Em-B Plex, Em-Vite, Folic Acid, Zoramin Syrup etc
• ANTI-MALARIALS such as Lokmal etc
• ANTI-NEOPLASTICS/ ANTI-CANCER
• ANTI-TUSSIVES like Emzolyn Cough Syrup etc
• HAEMATINICS such as Emzoron Capsules and Tonic
• VACCINES
EMZOR CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
EMZOR’S continuous desire to touch lives and make a difference made them develop humanitarian programs under their new corporate social responsibility platform – The Emzor Wellness Foundation. The Foundation continues to open new frontiers to reach out to more people with the helping hand that brings wellness. This foundation was founded to perform the CSR function of Emzor Pharmaceuticals. It therefore performs the following responsibilities.
• Donation of food items and medications to Orphanages, Schools, and Homes for the Blind, Handicapped and under- privileged.
• Pharmacist Assistant Training in different states in Nigeria
• Mass Deworming Project
• Emzor Wellness Race
• Free Health Mission
• Community Projects
• Monthly Free Health Program
• Commissioning of Customer Service Unit
EMZOR WELLOCRACY
As part of activities marking its 25th Anniversary, Emzor unveiled its Corporate Mantra, called Emzor Wellocracy. The word is coined from WELLNESS and DEMOCRACY. Wellness is the Brand Promise of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries and Democracy is the ideal nation.
WELLOCRACY is the way EMZOR represents its vision of an ideal nation where Unlimited Wellness is Available to All and Affordable by All.
The company has consistently offered the highest international quality healthcare products t prices which create value for all. Emzor Products are distributed and marketed by a nationwide network of sales and marketing people, making sure that the products are available at all nooks and crannies of the nation.
OUR SUBSIDIARIES
1. Front wave Limited, a 21st Century Procurement Company borne out of the passionate desire to meet the challenges and dynamism of supply chain management in Africa
2. Zolon Healthcare Ltd, a specialty healthcare organization positioned as a leader in the provision of intelligent healthcare solutions to the healthcare needs of her stakeholders by extending the frontiers of unlimited wellness.
3. Emzor Chemist: These are retail and dispensing pharmacy stores positioned for the delivery of good quality and affordable products and services in the pharmaceutical downstream to the largest number of Nigerians, bringing unlimited wellness to our doorsteps
4. Emzor Hesco Limited, a subsidiary of the Emzor Group incorporated for the provision of good quality hospital and surgical equipment, instruments, consumables, and other medical devices that aid in the diagnosis and management of diseases.
