Head of Communications, FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited (FPEDL)

Izunna Okafor is a distinguished media strategist, award-winning author, and public communication expert with extensive experience spanning journalism, corporate communications, creative writing, and indigenous language advocacy.

Education & Professional Development He holds an OND and Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from Nnamdi Azikiwe University,Awka, a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication, and is currently completing a master’s degree in mass communication.

Career Trajectory

Media & Journalism Okafor built his foundation in journalism as a reporter, columnist, and investigative journalist, contributing thousands of articles to national dailies and international platforms. His bylines have appeared in The Sun Newspaper, The Nigerian Voice, Igbo Radio (Canada), the defunct National Light Newspaper, and Ka Ọ Dị Taa Igbo Newspaper, among others. He served as pioneer Editor of Ka Ọ Dị Taa Newspaper and pioneer Managing Editor of Onyokimita Newspaper.

 As a public servant, he served as Information Officer at the Anambra State Ministry of Power and Water Resources, he directed public communication strategies, media engagement, and information dissemination.

Currently, as Head of Communications at FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited (FPEDL), Okafor leads corporate communications, media relations, stakeholder engagement, and public information management within Nigeria’s power sector.

Literary & Cultural Impact A prolific bilingual writer (English and Igbo), Okafor has authored 15+ published works, including Ikem’s Adventure (2012), The Curse of a Widow (2013), The Faithful Children (2014), and Ajọ Enyi (2015). The latter earned him the Nigerian Writers Award (Indigenous Writer of the Year, 2015/2016) and the Pita Nwanna Prize for Igbo Literature (2015).

He has edited or co-edited 30+ books and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology, an annual international publication honouring the literary icon. He founded the Chinua Achebe Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture (est. 2016).

As a certified Wikimedian with the Igbo Wikimedian Hub, he champions the revitalization of indigenous Nigerian languages.

Recognition & Affiliations Okafor’s contributions have garnered 40+ national and international awards, including:

• NUJ/Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna Award for Ethical Journalism (2023)
• Anambra Media Excellence Awards (2019, 2024)
• Anambra First Media Awards — Investigative Journalist of the Year (2024)
• Ebedi International Writers Residency Fellowship (2022)
• ACRA Awards (2025)

He serves as Ambassador of TFA Africa (Nigeria) and Ambassador of Read Across Nigeria (Anambra State).

Media Presence A sought-after commentator, Okafor has appeared on numerous radio and television platforms across Nigeria discussing media ethics, governance, cultural preservation, and social development.