Ifeanyi Ossai was born to the family of Mr. Fidelis and Mrs. Felicia Ossai in Ezimo, Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State. He spent his childhood years in the rural community, where he attended primary and secondary schools. His mother died before his 9th birthday, and it was to his grandmother, Mrs. Theresa Orie Ogbu and his uncle Michael Chukwuma Ossai that the young Ifeanyi and his other siblings turned to for care, support and comfort.

Ifeanyi attended Ezimo Agu High School where he graduated in 1990 with distinction and later proceeded to the University of Nigeria to study Law. He graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria in 1999. He also attended the Nigeria Law School, Abuja, in 2000, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2001. In 2006, he obtained a Master’s degree in Information Technology, Media and E-Commerce Law from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom, which further honed his knowledge of Law.

LEGAL CAREER
Ifeanyi Ossai’s interest in public service was kindled quite early in his career. He began his career as a young legislative intern in the Office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives at the National Assembly. At the time, his duties entailed the arduous note taking at House sessions, research on proposed bills and debates on issues before the House, legislative advocacy and administrative support to the Deputy Speaker’s Office.

The experience gained would later help him secure a place as a Legal Officer at the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) for his National Youth Service, where he worked in the legal department of the national telecommunications operator, then a monopoly. His duties included full legal service supporting the office of the company secretary as well as relating with external solicitors of NITEL and appraising their service delivery. He also worked in the Interconnectivity Committee responsible for negotiating terms of access between the state telecommunications operator and other private operators that depended on NITEL infrastructure to serve their subscribers.

Between 2002 and 2005, Ifeanyi was a counsel in the Law Firm of Ade Okeaya- Inneh SAN & Co., a firm of legal practitioners in Abuja. Here, he was largely engaged in active legal practice, representing clients in courts and tribunals. His other tasks comprised negotiating contracts on behalf of clients in Nigeria and Overseas, offering commercial law advice and advertisement regulation, advising clients on telecommunications licensing regulations and its industry-related competition issues.

Ifeanyi also worked as partner at Pearl Partnership, a firm of Legal Practitioners in Abuja Nigeria, where he engaged in active legal practice representing clients in courts and tribunals. At Pearl, he provided services provided includes negotiating contracts on behalf of clients, giving commercial law advice, intervening in advertisement regulation, trademark and copyright registration protection, telecommunications licensing regulations and its industry related competition issues.

Ifeanyi’s concern for social justice led him to enlist as a pro bono counsel with the Nigerian Legal Aid Council, a body statutorily obliged to provide free legal services to indigent citizens who are hampered by financial constraints in the pursuit of their rights and privileges. Working with the Council, he provided free legal aid to various people, especially in criminal matters on behalf of the Council. In 2007, Ifeanyi worked briefly as Senior Legislative Assistant to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and Media, National Assembly, Abuja.

ENTREPRENUERSHIP
Ifeanyi founded Royal Projects Limited which competed in the emerging and growing Abuja real estate market. He also forayed into the oil and gas sector which saw Afrigate Energy trade and supply petroleum products to major corporate consumers and provide energy logistics support to others.

His experience in business transcends the private sector. Until his nomination as Dr. Peter Mbah’s running-mate, he was involved in numerous boardroom and corporate governance matters, where he sat on the boards of many companies including the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Ifeanyi Ossai was also a consultant to many organisations both local and international.

POLITICAL CAREER
After the Enugu State PDP gubernatorial primaries of 25th May 2022, Dr. Peter Mbah emerged as winner and picked Ifeanyi Ossai as his running mate.

On 22nd March 2023, after the gubernatorial election, Ossai was declared Deputy Governor-Elect of Enugu State by the Independent National Electoral Commission and presented a Certificate of Return. He was sworn in as Deputy Governor of Enugu state on 29th May 2023 in Enugu.

PERSONAL LIFE
Ifeanyi Ossai is married to Adaeze Ifeyinwa Ossai.