Irene is an Engineer and a Lecturer at the Global Development Institute (GDI), University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Benin, she began her career at the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) before obtaining the highly prestigious Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program to pursue her MSc program in Management and Implementation of Development Projects (MIDP) at the University of Manchester.

She equally obtained the University of Manchester President’s Doctoral Scholar (PDS) award to undertake a PhD in Development Policy and Management at the University. She is well respected for her expertise in Public Private Partnership (PPP) policy and infrastructure development in sub-Saharan Africa region.
Irene has over a decade of work experience in project management and infrastructure advisory roles in the public and private sectors in Africa and Europe.

She has managed multimillion dollars infrastructure projects and has experience executing projects funded by donors such as the World Bank, Global Environment Fund (GEF), Agence Françaisede Développement (AFD) and African Development Bank (AfDB).

Dr Okhade has various professional affiliations and certifications. She is PMP certified, a Fellow of the Chartered Institution for Highways and Transportation (FCIHT), Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and Member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria- (COREN). Irene is the pioneer General Secretary of the Manchester Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Irene has received various local and international awards for excellence and in recognition of her contributions to global development. She is a mentor and a role model who enjoys volunteering that benefit young people and the vulnerable members of the society.