Nweke Frank Nnaemeka Jr

Frank Nnaemeka Nweke Jr (born 18 September 1965) is a Nigerian Politician, Entrepreneur, Teacher and Social Innovator. He is a two-time Federal Minister in Nigeria and former Director General, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG). He is currently a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and vied for the position of Governor of Enugu in the 2023 Nigerian General Election, upon emerging the party candidate at the primary election in May 2022. He is a Senior Visiting Fellow of the Lagos Business School and a member of the faculty, the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG), Nigeria, where he lectures on Ethics and Values. He is an Edward S. Mason Fellow and an alumnus of the Aspen Institute, Colorado. Nweke speaks Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa, the three major Nigerian languages fluently.

Frank Nweke II (FNJ) was born in Kano, Nigeria to the family of late Igwe Frank Nweke, Okeifufe Napkparu Ujo Nku I, of Ishi Ozalla, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State. Frank's early years were spent in Lagos where he began his primary school education at St. Paul's Catholic school. Following his family's migration to Maiduguri, he completed his primary education at Shehu Garbai primary school, thereafter proceeding to Federal Government College, Maiduguri for his secondary school education. He went on to obtain a Bachelor of Technology Degree in Zoology from the Federal University of Technology, Yola. Thereafter, he earned a master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Maiduguri.

In 2007, FNJ attended the Harvard Kennedy School of Government where he obtained a second master's degree in Public Administration and a certificate in Strategic Management. He was elected President of the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association of Nigeria (2020 - 2022). He is an Edward S. Mason Fellow and an alumnus of the Aspen Institute, Colorado. Nweke began his career as the General Manager of FONA Nigeria Limited, an office automation and industrial safety systems company with headquarters in Enugu.

Enugu State: In 1999, Nweke was commissioned as a resident consultant to the Enugu State government on development planning and general public sector reforms. The following year, he was appointed Enugu State coordinator of the Community County Council. In these positions, Nweke provided counsel on economic development, restructuring and privatization strategies for state-owned enterprises, and led the implementation of public-private investment projects in concert with development partners, including the UK Department for International Development, the United States Agency for International Development, and the World Bank.

From June 2001 to June 2003, he held the position of Chief of Staff to Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, managing the office of the Governor and coordinating overall government activities. In June 2003, Nweke was appointed Federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Special Duties. He became Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs, Special Duties, and Youth Development in April 2004. In July 2005, he was appointed Minister of Information and National Orientation, and then Minister of Information and Communication in January 2007, an office he held until May 2007. During his tenure, he coordinated and led policy reforms in the information and telecommunications sector.

Nweke was appointed Director General of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG). Under his leadership, Nigeria successfully hosted its first World Economic Forum for Africa. In 2018, Nweke co-founded NzukoLabs. He is the chairman of the advisory board for Malaria, Child, Maternal Mortality Eradication, MACMME, Nigeria. Until recently, he was a Senior Visiting Fellow of the Lagos Business School and a member of the faculty, School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG), Nigeria, where he lectured on Ethics and Values.

Nweke is an entrepreneur and investor with interests in media, construction, and technology-based ventures. Upon returning from Harvard in 2008, he established Stellar Constellation Group, a diversified holding company with interests in Technology Solutions, Fintech, Media, Real Estate, Construction, and Trading. In 2012, he co-founded ONTV and currently serves as its chairman. In 2011, he co-led the establishment of Brass Petrochemical and Fertilizer Company Ltd., a methanol and gas processing plant with the capacity to provide 15,000 jobs upon construction completion in the fourth quarter of 2022.

He has served on boards of Nigerian Breweries Plc (2011-2014), Brass Fertilizer (2011-2022), Callphone Nigeria Limited (2020-present), and is a member of various committees such as the Communications Sub-Committee of the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief, Trustee of Rise Networks Human and Education Development, and Trustee of Mothers United and Mobilized. He is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the WEF Africa 2014 Secretariat and a member of the Next Generation Nigeria Task Force, Private Sector Working Group (PSWG), National Competitiveness Council of Nigeria (NCCN), and World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa Steering Committee.

Nweke is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management, Nigerian Red Cross Society. He ran for the Enugu East senatorial district seat in 2015 under the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and later defected to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). In April 2022, he announced his intention to run for the APGA nomination for Governor of Enugu in the 2023 gubernatorial election. He emerged as the party's flagbearer and came third in the elections behind Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party and Peter Mbah of the People’s Democratic Party. He challenged the results at the tribunal but withdrew his petition on July 16, 2023.