Personal Life

Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru is an executive and entrepreneur who maintains involvement in professional, academic, and philanthropic endeavours. Born and raised in Nigeria, Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru moved to England for her post-secondary education, where she completed her A-levels in Economics, British Constitution, and History thereafter she got admission into the London University to study for a Bachelor of Science (B. Sc) Degree in sociology. After graduating with honours from London University, Cecilia Ibru went on to obtain a Masters of Philosophy from North East London University, followed by a Certificate of Eligibility from the Council of Legal Education London.

Career/ Work

Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru commenced her career at the Ibru Organization in 1978 where she held various positions. She launched a successful career in Finance and Management, beginning with a lengthy tenure at the Ibru Organization, where she served in a variety of supervisory and executive roles. In 1990, she joined the Oceanic Bank and rose to the peak of her career in 1997 as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Oceanic Bank International, where she spent over 10 years. During this time, Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru was recognised internationally as the “First Lady” of Nigeria’s Financial Sector, accumulating several honors and awards. Among these, Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru secured the nomination to the Nigerian Women Hall of Fame, earned an Honorary Doctorate from Delta State University.

Dr. Cecilia Ibru has been recognized internationally as the “First Lady” of Nigeria’s Financial Sector, accumulating several honours and awards. She is an Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) and also a Member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR). Dr. Cecilia Ibru is also a Fellow of several professional bodies such as Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Nigerian Institute of Management Nigeria (NIM), Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (IPM), and Sociological Society of Nigeria.

Philanthropic Deeds

Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru has been acknowledge for her work as a philanthropist as well, she formerly served as a Trustee to the United Nations Development Fund for Women, where she performed as an Honorary Ambassador for the Women Entrepreneurs Forum and took part in the United Nations Global Compact. In addition, she has sat on the Governing Board of Delta State University and Chaired the Public-Private Immunisation Foundation for the Nigerian National Immunisation Programme.