Our Team

Fuelled by a passion to make an impact in communities and healthcare systems in Nigeria and Africa, our leadership team harnesses their wealth of experience across diverse sectors and thematic areas, solid technical expertise and a willingness to try out-of-the-box methods, to set standards and overcome challenges in public health.

Management team

Dr. Prosper Okonkwo

Dr. Prosper Okonkwo is the pioneer Chief Executive Officer of APIN Public Health Initiatives and has been since 2007. He actually joined the organization as a Project manager in January 2004 when it was still a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded project of the Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH).

In his role as Chief Executive Officer, he liaises with our experienced board to manage the organization and provide strategic leadership and vision. He leads APIN’s collaborative efforts with our stakeholders and partners from Nigerian and American universities, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), international & local research institutions including the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and all levels of government.

He received his medical degree from the University of Ibadan in 1982 and became a member of the West African College of Physicians (Community Medicine) in 1997. He has been a Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Public Health since 1999, and of the West African College of Physicians (in Community Medicine) since 2012.

Dr Prosper has over 39 years of experience in clinical practice, Epidemiology of Communicable and Non-communicable diseases, Public Health Policy and Planning, and Global Health. In the course of his rich career, he has managed several multi-million dollar projects and has been an investigator on NIH and PEPFAR-funded projects. He has worked as a Consultant Public Physician for Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State. He has also worked with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as the State Advisor for Delta State, and as a National Reproductive Health Advisor. Up until 2004 before he joined APIN, he was a Research Associate with the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA. In 2019, he was appointed as a visiting scientist to HSPH, a position he holds to date.

He is a member of several notable associations including the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), the Epidemiological Society of Nigeria (EPISON), the International AIDS Society (IAS), the International Development Evaluation Association (IDEAS), International Epidemiological Association (IEA), the International Society of Global Health, and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

Outside his work at APIN, Dr. Prosper Okonkwo enjoys facilitating Christian leadership programmes, and teaching / mentoring the next generation of public health practitioners in Nigeria. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care of Bingham University, Karu, Nassarawa State, and has co-authored and edited more than 80 publications.

Mr. Niyi Olaofin

Mr. Niyi Olaofin is the Deputy CEO, Shared Services

A seasoned chartered accountant and administrator has over 31 years cognate experience in Finance & Accounts, Financial Reporting, Procurement, Audit & Investigation, Management Accounting, NGO Fund Accountability Statements, budgeting and planning. He leads a team of other professionals to manage our very robust human resources, grant, finance and administration systems.

Dr Jay Osi Samuels

Dr. Jay Osi Samuels joined APIN Public Health Initiatives in 2006.

As the Deputy CEO, Programs, he provides leadership and guidance to all of APIN’s program directorates. He oversees the organization’s program and project activities to ensure that supported health care facilities are strengthened to be able to deliver quality and sustainable health services.

In addition, he is responsible for directing program strategies and leading the implementation of donor-funded interventions. Dr. Jay also identifies and coordinates the process for new business development, and helps the organization to strike a balance between attaining organizational goals and adequate fiduciary management.

He received his MB.BS degree from the University of Ibadan and has a Masters in Epidemiology from Harvard University, USA. He is currently studying to receive his Masters in Business Administration from Hult International Business School. He was a Bill and Melinda Gates Fellow from 2001 to 2005, and a Fogarty International Fellow from 2005 to 2006.

Dr. Jay brings to APIN, a rich work experience spanning over 25 years in Public Health, HIV/AIDS, Epidemiology, Research, Health Systems Strengthening & Program Management, garnered working across geopolitical regions in Nigeria. Prior to joining APIN, he was a research associate at Harvard University, studying the molecular epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

When he isn’t working, you can find Dr. Jay taking an active interest in politics and advocating for good governance. He also enjoys listening to music and dancing.

Pharm. Oluremi Olaitan

Pharm. Oluremi Olaitan is the Director, Special Services. She joined APIN Public Health Initiatives in February 2005.

She oversees, provides leadership for the effective delivery of special projects and initiatives of the organization, and reports same to the executive management. In addition, she leads the logistics and supply chain management activities; coordinating the Warehouse and Supply Chain Management teams to ensure better inventory management and movement of stock and health commodities to our project sites and states.

Pharm. Remi Olaitan brings to us a rich work experience of over 32 years in Pharmacoepidemiology, Pharmacovigilance, Public Health, Supply Chain Management, and Program Management across multiple communicable and non-communicable diseases including HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Her work history spans both public and private sector including the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Man. Lab, Yaba, Lagos State, Strides Arcolab, and Vital Pharmaceuticals.

She received her Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from the University of Benin, Edo State and her Master’s from the University of Lagos. She also has a certification in Pharmacoepidemiology &Pharmacovigilance from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). She is a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).Outside her work at APIN, she enjoys travelling, cooking, gardening and experimenting with Nutraceuticals.

Dr Ifeyinwa Onwuatuelo

Dr. Ifeyinwa Onwuatuelo joined APIN Public Health Initiatives in April 2009 as a Care & Support Officer and rose through the ranks to become our current Director of Technical Services.

She is directly responsible for driving program implementation and providing coordination and strategic leadership to guide the activities of the Prevention, Community and Clinical program areas to ensure that they achieve set targets, program objectives and organizational goals.

Dr. Ify, as she is fondly called, obtained her Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree from the College of Medicine at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She earned her Master’s degree in Public Health from the same institution. Since earning her graduate degree, she has taken professional courses in Applied Biostatistics from Northwestern University, Chicago, USA and in Quantitative Methods in Clinical and Health Research from the Harvard School of Public Health, Massachusetts, Boston, USA.

She brings to us a wealth of experience spanning more than 20 years and built from a rich work history in Public Health management, clinical practice and research from organizations such as the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Schubbs Dental Clinic, Lagos State, the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), and the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Lagos State.

She is a member of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN).

Outside work, Dr. Ify enjoys exploring new cultures and places whether it is through reading, watching movies or travelling with family and friends.

Dr. Olabanjo Okunlola Ogunsola

Dr. Olabanjo Ogunsola joined APIN Public Health Initiatives in April, 2013. Currently, he is the Associate Director overseeing the Prevention and Community Services (PCS) directorate.

He provides technical leadership and strategy for the conceptualization, planning, execution, coordination, and evaluation of all activities undertaken by the Prevention and Community services directorate, including APIN’s Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT), Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC) and cervical cancer screening programs.

In addition, he supervises the dynamic Prevention & Community Services team across all our states and locations, provides an enabling environment and manages their performance and activities so that the directorate can deliver on its mandate and contribute to the attainment of organizational goals.

Dr. Ogunsola received his first degree in Medicine & Surgery in 2005 from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. He went on to earn a Masters in Public Health from the same school in 2011. In 2013, he was inducted as a fellow of West African College of Physicians (FWACP) in Community Health. He has over 15 years of experience in clinical science, health policy and implementation, and programming for communicable and non-communicable diseases gathered from working at health facilities across multiple resource settings and geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

He is a member of several notable and relevant associations such as the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), the Epidemiological Society of Nigeria (EPiSON), the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

Outside work, Dr. Ogunsola enjoys reading (hopefully, not medical texts), travelling and spending time with his family.

Eke Ofuche

Eke Ofuche is the Associate Director in charge of APIN’s Laboratory Quality Management Systems and Molecular Diagnostics. He joined the organization in June 2009.

As lead of the Laboratory Services directorate, he is responsible for providing strategic leadership and programmatic guidance for the planning, implementation, review and evaluation of all operations under the organization’s laboratory program. This includes providing oversight to the staff and coordinating the activities of the Quality Management Systems and Molecular Diagnostics units across our project states.
He has a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). He went on to attain certifications in Leadership and Management in Health from the University of Washington, USA, and in Biosafety and Biosecurity from the African Center for Integrated Laboratory Training, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Mr. Ofuche brings to APIN an extensive work experience spanning more than 20 years in Clinical, Public Health and Research Laboratory Services in the public, private and non-profit sectors. His expertise in Quality Management Systems, Commodity Logistics, Design and Management of Laboratory Systems and Infrastructure, Biosafety & Biosecurity and Molecular Diagnostics was built working on public health interventions across multiple thematic areas and on projects funded by several donors including PEPFAR, NIH, and Global Fund in Nigeria and Africa. He has worked with indigenous and international organizations including Federal Medical Center, Azare, Bauchi State, and the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) in partnership with the University of Maryland.

He has been certified as a Laboratory Quality Auditor by the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), as a Laboratory Quality Mentor by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), as an Assessor on the Global Health Security Agenda by ASLM and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), and as a Shipper of Infectious Substances by the World Health Organization (WHO). He is also an Associate of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) and the Institute of Quality Assurance of Nigeria (IQAN). He was instrumental to preparing the first set of public facility laboratories in Nigeria⎯the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and the University College Hospital, Ibadan to achieve the prized ISO 15189 accreditation in 2017.

Mr. Ofuche is a member of several notable associations including the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and Nigeria Biological Safety Association (NiBSA).

When he is not designing or upgrading lab and molecular diagnostics systems, you will find him traveling and/or picnicking.

Femi Owolagba

Femi Emmanuel Owolagba joined APIN Public Health Initiatives in April 2013 and is the Assistant Director, General Laboratory Sciences.

Mr. Owolagba plays a critical role in coordinating the overall operations of the Laboratory Services directorate and providing technical support to aid the planning and development of strategies for program implementation and management. He also provides operational guidance and leadership to our supported laboratories and coordinates the planning and execution of capacity building activities for health workers in the areas of TB/HIV, Logistics & Supply Chain Management of commodities, Quality management systems, sample referrals, equipment management etc. In addition, he oversees the recruitment & development of personnel within the Laboratory Services directorate and supports interactions with local and international stakeholders such as the government and relevant agencies, donors, sub-grantees and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

He studied at the James Lind Institute, Switzerland where he received an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma (APGD) in Public Health Research. He also has a Master’s in Medical Laboratory Haematology from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, and a certification in Leadership in Health Management from the University of Washington, USA. Mr. Owolagba is also a certified Master Trainer for the Strengthening Laboratory Management toward Accreditation (SLMTA) program.

Prior to joining APIN, he worked as the Principal Medical Laboratory Scientist at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) and later, as the Senior Laboratory Advisor for ICAP (formerly International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs), bringing a solid work experience of more than 20 years. He is a member of notable professional associations such as the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, the Academy of Clinical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Ireland, and the African Society of Laboratory Medicine (ASLM).

Dr Chukwuemaka Ibilibor

Dr. Chukwuemeka Ibilibor is the Associate Director, Health Systems Strengthening at APIN Public Health Initiatives. He joined the organization as a Technical Officer, Care & Treatment with our Plateau State office in 2013.

He is directly responsible for planning, leading, implementing and monitoring APIN’s health systems activities. This involves ensuring that our supported facilities, the states we operate in and in Nigeria has the needed (resources skilled, competent health personnel, health infrastructure including health facilities and information systems, essential medicines & equipment, enabling policy and leadership and adequate funding) to provide our clients and patients with quality health services that are accessible.

To achieve this, he collaborates closely with the relevant agencies, parastatals and stakeholders at the national and sub-national levels to develop strategies, tools and systems to strengthen the health system at all levels.

Dr. Ibilibor received his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine & Surgery from the University of Benin. He is a consultant Family Physician from the National Postgraduate College of Medicine of Nigeria. His passion for sharing knowledge inspired him to study for a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) at the National Teachers’ Institute. He is a lifelong learner and has taken several courses and earned certifications in Leadership & Management, Public Health Research, Research Methodology and Manuscript Writing, Primary Health Care, HIV/AIDS programming and health Systems Strengthening, from reputable institutions such as UNICEF, the University of Melbourne in Australia, The Nossal Institute of Global Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, and Lagos Business School.

Over the last 16 years, he has built his expertise in clinical practice, HIV/AIDS programming, Public Health Programming and Research, Human Resources Management for Health and Health Systems Strengthening by working in various capacities and positions in both private and public health facilities across Nigeria and at APIN Public Health Initiatives, where he rose from the position of Technical Officer, Care & Treatment to Technical Advisor, Clinical Services and now, his current role as Associate Director, Health Systems Strengthening.

He is a member of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

Given his passion for learning and sharing knowledge, it is not difficult to guess that he spends much of his leisure reading and spending time with friends and family.

Uche Okezie

Pharm. Uche Michael Okezie is the Director in charge of the Strategic Information (SI) directorate. He joined APIN in January 2018

He is responsible for defining the strategies, goals, objectives and implementation plans that guide the activities of the Health Informatics and Monitoring & Evaluation teams across all our project locations. He supervises the development of systems for monitoring and evaluating project implementation, performance, accountability and improvement to ensure that the organization meets cooperative agreements.

He received his Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1998 and earned a Master’s in Health Management from Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria in 2010. He also holds other certificates from the University of Washington which include Economic Evaluation in Global Health, Fundamentals of Implementation Science and Leadership and Management in Health.

He has a rich work experience spanning over 20 years in Project Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) and Project Management across diverse thematic areas and health programs. Before joining APIN, he worked with leading PEPFAR-funded (CDC & USAID) organizations in the not-for-profit sector including Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative (AHNI) and Family Health International (FHI 360) on and collaborated closely on HIV/AIDS projects.

He is a registered member of notable professional associations such as the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), the International Association of Public Health Logisticians (IAPHL) and the Clinical Pharmacists Association of Nigeria (CPAN).

In his spare time, he enjoys watching football and wrestling matches, political discussions or taking in tourist sights and attractions within and outside Nigeria.

Luke Onu

Luke Ejembi Onu is the Associate Director in charge of the Human Resources & Administration Directorate. He joined our team in August 2018.

He leads and monitors the execution of APIN’s organizational strategies for Human Resources Management and Administrative Operations in general. This involves collaborating with and providing technical advisory to APIN’s management team to develop and execute HR initiatives and organization-wide policies for recruiting and retaining top talent from diverse disciplines, and managing their performance to ensure that organizational goals are achieved.

Mr. Onu received his Bachelor’s in Accounting from Benue State University, Makurdi. He has a Master’s in Business Administration from the same institution and went on to earn a second Master’s degree in Human Resources from Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

His experience spans over 18 years in Strategic Human Resources Management, Finance, Budgeting and Planning for Public, Private and Not-for-Profit sectors. He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He is also an Associate Chartered Accountant certified by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

When he is not working at APIN, you can find him swimming, dancing or meeting new people.

Dr Plang Jwanle

Dr. Plang Humphrey Jwanle joined APIN Public Health Initiatives in February, 2018 and is the Associate Director in charge of the Clinical Services directorate.

He is responsible for leading and providing technical guidance for the program-wide clinical services team and assists to maintain a high level of expertise and innovation in the delivery of antiretroviral therapy and TB/HIV.

He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Jos, Nigeria and went on to obtain a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Liverpool, London, UK. Dr. Plang holds a Doctorate in Public Health from the University of Central Nicaragua and a Master’s in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid from the KALU Institute, Spain.

His expertise and experience in Clinical and Public Health practice, Health Systems Strengthening, Public Health Policy and Planning as well as Program Design and Management for International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, span over 17 years. Prior to joining APIN, he worked at the Centre for Integrated Health Programs, FHI 360 and at the General Hospital, Nasarawa, Nasarawa State.

He is a member of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Health Systems Global (HSG).

An avid sportsman, he enjoys playing lawn tennis in his leisure.

Board of Directors

Dr. Prosper Okonkwo

Dr. Prosper Okonkwo is the pioneer Chief Executive Officer of APIN Public Health Initiatives and has been since 2007. He actually joined the organization as a Project manager in January 2004 when it was still a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded project of the Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH).

In his role as Chief Executive Officer, he liaises with our experienced board to manage the organization and provide strategic leadership and vision. He leads APIN’s collaborative efforts with our stakeholders and partners from Nigerian and American universities, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), international & local research institutions including the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and all levels of government.

He received his medical degree from the University of Ibadan in 1982 and became a member of the West African College of Physicians (Community Medicine) in 1997. He has been a Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Public Health since 1999, and of the West African College of Physicians (in Community Medicine) since 2012.

Dr Prosper has over 39 years of experience in clinical practice, Epidemiology of Communicable and Non-communicable diseases, Public Health Policy and Planning, and Global Health. In the course of his rich career, he has managed several multi-million dollar projects and has been an investigator on NIH and PEPFAR-funded projects. He has worked as a Consultant Public Physician for Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State. He has also worked with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as the State Advisor for Delta State, and as a National Reproductive Health Advisor. Up until 2004 before he joined APIN, he was a Research Associate with the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA. In 2019, he was appointed as a visiting scientist to HSPH, a position he holds to date.

He is a member of several notable associations including the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), the Epidemiological Society of Nigeria (EPISON), the International AIDS Society (IAS), the International Development Evaluation Association (IDEAS), International Epidemiological Association (IEA), the International Society of Global Health, and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

Outside his work at APIN, Dr. Prosper Okonkwo enjoys facilitating Christian leadership programmes, and teaching / mentoring the next generation of public health practitioners in Nigeria. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care of Bingham University, Karu, Nassarawa State, and has co-authored and edited more than 80 publications.

Dr. Ayodeji Oluwole Odutolu

Senior Health Specialist, Global Financing Facility (GFF), World Bank

Wole was the first Country Director of the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) project, AIDS Prevention Initiatives in Nigeria (APIN) which was the precursor to the present-day APIN Public Health Initiatives.

He has over 20 years of experience working with government and international organizations on public health-related issues. In his current role with the World Bank, he serves as the focal point for Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Sierra Leone. Before joining the GFF, he led innovative service delivery projects targeting primary health care systems with a focus on promoting accountability, reducing social inequality and improving health outcomes for children and women in marginalized and underserved communities in Nigeria and other African countries. He also did significant work on adolescent reproductive health and HIV prevention and control.

He is a 1981 graduate of College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria and Keele University, United Kingdom.

Rosemary Uzoamaka Nnamdi-Okagbue

Public Health Expert & Consultant

Mrs. Rosemary Nnamdi-Okagbue is a nurse/midwife and public health expert with over forty years of experience working at national and international levels with the government, United Nations agencies, USAID implementing partners and various nongovernmental organizations.

She worked as a staff of the Federal Ministry of Health and with Family Health International, Nigeria as a Senior Technical Officer (Care and Support Services) for people living with HIV/AIDS. She is currently an independent consultant for the Nigerian government and other agencies, facilitating needs assessments, program evaluation and capacity building activities for health care workers and staff of non-governmental organizations.

Prof. Ibironke Akinsete

Public Health Expert & Consultant

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Nsikan Essien

Nsikan Essien llb, bl, llm (london)

Nsikan Essien is a Barrister and Solicitor with a proven track record in Legislative Drafting, Bill Analysis and Advisory. She holds a Master of Laws degree from the University College, London and has over 10 years’ experience working in the public sector.

Her passion for development paved the way for work with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, leading the operations of the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable. Nsikan also has a strong passion for the development of children and she volunteers as a project team member of the National Competition on Creative Writing, encouraging children at all levels to embrace a good reading and writing culture.

Engr. Samuel Dangana 

Engineering & Telecommunications

Engr. Samuel Dangana is the Chairman / Chief Executive Officer of Meter & Instruments Nigeria Limited. He is a trained Electrical Engineer specializing in Electronics and Telecommunication and is also a qualified and result-oriented Metering Service Provider in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry. He is very keen on driving organizational improvements and the implementation of best practices in Standards and Procurements.

He received his Higher National Diploma (HND) fron Kaduna Polytechnic with and earned a Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) in Electrical Engineering from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State. An avid believer in continuous learning and personal development, he has gone on to take courses and participate in workshops such as the University of Texas’ Advanced Metering course, the Advanced Management course with Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Nigeria, Advanced Project Management Course (Johannesburg, South Africa), Procurement and Inventory Training at Corinth Greece, Advanced Financial Management Training from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and Quality Standards in Precision Products, Switzerland.

With over 20 years of experience, he serves on the Board of several companies including Meter and Instruments Nigeria Limited, Clusters Data & Analytics Limited, Meron Nigeria Limited and Salem Energy Limited, providing strategic oversight and guidance. Some of his previous positions include Head of Marketing and Procurement at Electricity Meter Company Nigeria Limited, Head of Technical Services at Femadec Group and Chief Operating officer at Salem Energy. He has also served as the lead consultant for the manufacture and testing of energy meters during the establishment of local Manufacturing and Servicing Companies such as Smart Meters Nigeria Limited, Cresthill Engineering Limited, RLG Adulawo Limited, Volvo & Vision Business Limited, Femadec Manufacturing Limited.

In addition, Engr. Dangana has served in a number of expert committees both at professional and community levels. He was a Pioneer Member of the NESI Metering Code Review Panel (formerly NERC Metering Committee) that developed the Current Distribution Metering Code for the industry. He was also a member of the project implementation team that was responsible for Delivering the LPU and SPU Metering projects for Abuja Electricity Distribution Company with TURBO Energy and MERON Ltd. At the community Level, he has been involved in neighborhood infrastructure and dispute resolution committees. He provides free technical implementation, training and equipment commissioning services to universities, colleges and research centres.

Dangana is an avid sports lover and particularly enjoys playing table tennis and volleyball. He is well travelled, loves reading and is passionate about community service to improve lives.

Mrs. Rejoice Mary Abah  

Public Health Expert & Consultant

Rejoice Mary Abah is an evangelist, gospel artiste and social worker. She is a graduate of the National Teachers Institute, Kaduna State, where she acquired a National Certificate of Education (NCE). She also attended Rhema Bible Training Center Nigeria (RBTC). She has attended several capacity building programs within and outside Nigeria where she developed her capacity in social and development work. Her expertise and skill set spans several fields including advocacy, counseling, community mobilization and sensitization, treatment adherence counseling, research as well as program planning and implementation.

Being is a survivor of child marriage herself, she believes strongly in women’s rights and in women living their lives free from gender-based oppression and violence. To that effect, she has led several community sensitization and awareness programs, campaigns, advocacy, and dialogue meetings to promote the rights of women.

She worked with SHEWE (Sexual Health Education for Women), a coalition which aims to advance and bridge Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) information gaps among adolescent girls and young women living with HIV. In this capacity, she represented the coalition in the media, promoting contraceptive use for women living with HIV and making recommendations to the government on improving the wellbeing of Nigerian women living with HIV and struggling to stay on treatment during the COVID-19 lockdown.

As a resource person for the Prevention and Home-Based Care project, organized by Center for Development and Population Activities, she facilitated several Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops on HIV prevention for various peer groups around the country. She is currently a Project / Monitoring & Evaluation Officer for the International Community of Women living with HIV, West African Region (ICW West Africa. In this capacity, she has participated in several activities to promote and address issues that affect women and adolescent girls living with HIV, in West Africa.

Professor Benjamin S.C. Uzochukwu  

Public Health Expert & Consultant

Benjamin S. Chudi Uzochukwu is a Public Health and Community Medicine Physician at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu and a Professor of Public Health, Health Policy and Systems at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he was the founding director of the Institute of Public Health. He is also the Deputy Director, Health Policy Research Group at the Enugu campus of the University of Nigeria.

His expertise spans multiple fields including implementation research, healthcare financing, realistic evaluation of health programmes, leadership & management and health technology assessment. He is passionate about the use of research evidence in the formulation policy and guidelines for practice. With over 25 years’ experience in Public Health and over 200 publications in peer reviewed journals, including the Lancet, Google Citation of 13392 and H-index of 40, he has been involved in the Global Burden of Disease studies and has contributed to significant changes in government health policies. Some of his research outputs and publications have been instrumental in health systems strengthening and health sector reforms in Nigeria, impacting on Malaria & HIV control, immunization, community participation and key interventions which preferentially benefit the poorest. He has also been involved in the development of several state and national strategic health development plans and national policy documents.

Prof. Uzochukwu is a leading member in Health Policy and Systems Research in Nigeria, Africa and global level and was a board member of the largest global body of Health Systems and Policy experts and practitioners – Health System Global. He has acted in several advisory capacities including as a policy adviser and consultant to Nigeria’s state and Federal Ministry of Health, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), and African Center for Disease Control (CDC) in various areas of health systems.

Presently, he serves as the Chairman, Faculty of Community Health of the West African College of Physicians and Director, Grants and Research of the West African College of Physicians. He is also an executive member of the Association of Schools of Public Health in Africa, the Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee on COVID-19 Health Sector Response in Nigeria and the Expert Review Committee on Polio eradication and immunization.

He is a Fellow of National Academy of Science (FAS) and the Academy of Medicine Specialists of Nigeria (FAMedS)

ZUBAIDA A. NAGEE, Ph.D 

Proprietor & Totsville School

Zubaida is the Proprietor of Totsville School located in Badawa Layout, Kano and the Director of the Guidance and Counselling Centre at the Federal College of Education, Kano state. She is an exceptional educator who has taught at all levels of the educational system in Nigeria. Her rich career of over 42 years has seen her publish articles on Educational Psychology, Special Education and women’s issues in 13 reputable journals, and chapter contribution in 4 books and 2 standard text books.

Her passion for community and humanitarian work was ignited in 1998, as a volunteer with Society for Women against AIDS in Africa, Nigeria (SWAAN). Since then, she has continued to work with Non-Governmental Organizations on a number of causes and issues. In 2003, she co-founded Hotoro Women Development Association (HOWDA) in Hotoro, Kano State and from 2008 – 2020, she was the Kano State Outreach Coordinator of BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights Nigeria, an organization where she now serves as Board Chair.

She is now the Secretary of SWAAN’s Kano State branch and sits on the Board of Directors of the Adolescent Health and Information Project (AHIP) and Community Support and Development Initiative (CSADI), another NGO in Kano. Under her leadership, her NGO, HOWDA has attracted funding opportunities to implement several projects and interventions.

PHARM. MATTHEW OBI AZOJI, NPOM, FPSN, FNIM, FPCPHARM, FNAPHARM, M.IOD 

NPOM, FPSN, FNIM, &FPCPHARM, FNAPHARM, M.IOD

Pharm. Matthew Obi is a pharmacist with over 20 years of leadership experience in the public health, manufacturing and healthcare sectors and is currently the Co-founder/CEO of Riverside Healthcare Ltd. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy with first class honours and a Master’s degree in Pharmacy Administration, both from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he also holds Masters Degrees in Public Health from the University of London and Business Administration (Marketing) from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, as well as certificates in Pharmaceutical Policy Analysis and Pharmacoeconomics from Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

Pharm. Azoji has held several positions in the healthcare industry and has served on the boards of several associations and organizations within and outside Nigeria. He was the Managing Director / CEO of the prestigious Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc., where he led the organization to achieve a 365% growth in share price within one year.

He is a Fellow and Member of numerous pharmaceutical and other professional organizations both in Nigeria and internationally; and has received several awards including the National Productivity Order of Merit Award (NPOM) conferred by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022.

DR IBIRONKE SODEINDE  

Public Health Expert

Dr. Sodeinde pursued Medicine at the Medical Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria on scholarship after which she obtained a postgraduate Diploma in Internal Medicine (DIC) from the Royal Postgraduate Medical School of Imperial College, London, United Kingdom. She went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and a Master’s degree in International Management from the University of Liverpool, UK. An avid believer in lifelong learning, she further enhanced her knowledge and different skills through trainings in some other institutions including the prestigious Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Washington, both in the USA.

A seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience. She has occupied top managerial positions and delivered outstanding results. She was the initiator and pioneer Head of the Medical Department at Surulere General Hospital (formerly Randle Health Centre), and served as the Medical Director at Ijede Health Centre, Ikorodu and General Hospital, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos State.

No stranger to the civil service, she has served as the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations and Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board. Some of her key achievements in this role include the activation of some non-functional Primary Health Care centres within her first three months of assuming duty and the resolution of the Board’s longstanding Human Resource issues. She was also the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on City Resilience. In this role, she prepared the Draft Preliminary Resilience Assessment (Stage 1) with the Lagos State Resilience Office [LASRO] team which was the foundation for a roadmap / strategy for the State to create a liveable Smart City.

Dr. Sodeinde had attended several conferences, seminars and workshops both locally and internationally and has facilitated the training of young leaders and medical professionals in core areas of medical profession, governance, health management, policy development, implementation and regulation. She is affiliated with numerous international and local professional and humanitarian bodies including the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Rotary International, and Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ). In addition, she is a recipient of almost 30 Awards and Honours from local and international bodies including the Commonwealth, Lagos State Government, Communities, Non – Governmental Organisations and the Media for her selfless service and for outstanding performances in transforming facilities.

DR. FRANCES NGOZI ONYIA, MBBS, FWACP, MWACP, MBA  

Public Health Expert

Dr. Frances Onyia is a highly skilled physician with 41+ years of experience in both the public and private healthcare sectors of Nigeria. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Paelon Memorial Hospital, a brand which she grew to become one of the top hospitals in Nigeria and win several awards including being the first Hospital to achieve a SafeCare level 5 rating in 2016, a feat that was repeated in 2020 with higher scores and also an award of recognition from the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) for being the most compliant private hospital in Lagos state in 2022.

Prior to this, she was the Company Medical Advisor of Nigerian Breweries. Amongst other achievements she worked with her employers to launch the medical capitation scheme and the workplace HIV/AIDS programs for which she and her employers won awards. She is a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP) specializing in paediatrics and between 2001 -2006, served the College first as Assistant Treasurer and then, Treasurer. She is a Travel Health Physician and a certified Commercial Mediator. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the prestigious Lagos Business School. This visionary leader is a published author and acts as Trustee for associations such as the Nigeria Society for Travel Medicine (NSTM), Society for Quality Health in Nigeria (SQHN) and Pharmaccess Nigeria.

She sits on the board of several organizations including Leadway Health Insurance Company, Children Arise Foundation, Pistis Foundation, boys to MEN Foundation among others. She is also a member of several organizations including the Guild of Medical Directors for which she is the current vice-chairperson of the Lagos Chapter, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, and the Paediatric Association of Nigeria (she chairs the audit committee).

PROFESSOR OLADAPO SUNDAY SHITTU  

Public Health Expert

Oladapo Sunday Shittu is a highly decorated, renowned Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna State, Visiting Professor at Bingham University and Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau State. He is also the Provost of the College of Medicine, Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo in Benue State, Nigeria.

Professor Shittu graduated from the University of Ibadan and became a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons and the International College of Surgeons, specialising in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. With more than 40 years of experience in clinical practice, academia, research and development projects under his belt, he has served in several capacities including as a lecturer, postgraduate supervisor, technical advisor and consultant on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) to public and private organizations within and outside Nigeria.

He has written 9 books / monographs, published 67 academic papers in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to 14 manuals, guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). He provides editorial guidance and consultancy to prestigious local and international academic journals such as the Tropical Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, the West African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the African Journal of Laboratory Medicine. He is a Member of several committees, working groups and task teams including the National Reproductive Health Technical Working Group and the National Task Team on the Prevention of Mother-to-child transmission of HIV (NTT-PMTCT), of which he is the Chairman. He also sits on the Board of Directors of Marie Stopes of Nigeria (MISON).

AISHA MUHAMMAD AMINU  

Public Health Expert

Aisha Muhammad Aminu is a result-oriented development professional with over twenty years of experience in planning and implementing development programs. Her strong understanding of religious, cultural, political and ethical contexts, and expertise in Social Policy Development, Qualitative Research, Governance, Gender and Social Inclusion, have earned her consultancy and capacity building opportunities for local and international government, non-governmental, and multilateral organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, USAID, DFID and UNDP.

A Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration in Nigeria and a Member of the National Council for Women Societies of Nigeria, she has facilitated more than 25 workshops and seminars for organizations and programmes across the country.

Pharm. Samuel Iheanyichukwu Ohuabunwa OFR, MON, NPOM

Public Health Expert & Consultant

Pharmacist (Mazi) Sam Ohuabunwa is the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN). He is also the President of the Association of Corporate Governance Professionals of Nigeria (ACGPN) and the Convener of the New Nigeria Group (NNG). He earned his Bachelor’s in Pharmacy from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1976, and obtained a postgraduate degree in Organizational & Corporate Management at Columbia University, New York, USA and in Executive Business Management from the Lagos Business School, Nigeria. He received an honorary Doctorate degree in Business Administration from Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State.

Mazi Ohuabunwa has a rich experience spanning over 43 years in both the private and public sector at federal and sub-national levels of operation. In the private sector, he worked with Pfizer Products Plc where he rose to the position of Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer and Regional Manager for Pfizer West Africa in 1993. In 1997, Sam led the Management Buyout (MBO) of Pfizer Inc shares in Pfizer Products Plc and transformed the resultant company – Neimeth International Pharmaceutical Products Plc into a medium-sized Research & Development-based healthcare company. He voluntarily retired from the company in 2011 after 33 years in the industry and 18 years as CEO.

Mazi Sam is a fellow of several professional groups across multiple disciplines notably the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (PCPharm), the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), the National Institute of Marketing in Nigeria (FNIMN), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), and the Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC).

In both public and private sector, he has served in leadership and advisory capacities in notable indigenous, local and international associations including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC), the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, the Abia Polytechnic Governing Council, Abia State University Teaching Hospital Board, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the National Manpower Board (NMB), the National Institute for Social & Economic Research (NISER) and the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI). Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa has also served on many Presidential Committees and Taskforces, the prominent ones being the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC), Presidential Steering Committee on Global Economic Crisis (PSCGES), and the Presidential Committee on Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SURE-P). Currently, he serves on the Boards of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), and the Abia Public-Private Partnership and Investment Promotion Council.

Prof. John Idoko MD FMCP, FAS, FNAMed, FAMedSc

Public Health Expert & Consultant

Professor Idoko is a retired Professor of Medicine at the University of Jos, Visiting Professor to NUC and an Adjunct Professor of Global Health at the Northwestern University in Chicago, USA. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria (ABU) and specialized in internal medicine and infectious diseases from ABU, University of Newcastle UK, and the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, where he was a Commonwealth Fellow in Immunology.

He served in many leadership positions, notably as the Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) where he oversaw the decrease of the national prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria from 5% to 1.4%.
He has also acted as the President of the Nigerian AIDS Research Network, Chairman, National Antiretroviral Committee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Jos, Specialist Consultant to the Petroleum Special Trust Fund (PTF). He is a council member of several universities and of the International AIDS Society (IAS), and is currently President of the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA). He is a Fellow of notable institutions such as the Nigeria Academy of Science, the National Academy of Medicine and the Academy of Medicine Specialties.

Professor Idoko’s research interests include HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, malaria and emerging epidemics. He has contributed to 10 books and published over 120 academic papers in peer-reviewed journals.

Board of Trustees

Pharm. Samuel Iheanyichukwu Ohuabunwa

Public Health Expert & Consultant

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Dr. Ayodeji Oluwole Odutolu

Senior Health Specialist, Global Financing Facility (GFF), World Bank

Wole was the first Country Director of the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) project, AIDS Prevention Initiatives in Nigeria (APIN) which was the precursor to the present-day APIN Public Health Initiatives.

He has over 20 years of experience working with government and international organizations on public health-related issues. In his current role with the World Bank, he serves as the focal point for Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Sierra Leone. Before joining the GFF, he led innovative service delivery projects targeting primary health care systems with a focus on promoting accountability, reducing social inequality and improving health outcomes for children and women in marginalized and underserved communities in Nigeria and other African countries. He also did significant work on adolescent reproductive health and HIV prevention and control.

He is a 1981 graduate of College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria and Keele University, United Kingdom.

Rosemary Uzoamaka Nnamdi-Okagbue

Public Health Expert & Consultant

Mrs. Rosemary Nnamdi-Okagbue is a nurse/midwife and public health expert with over forty years of experience working at national and international levels with the government, United Nations agencies, USAID implementing partners and various nongovernmental organizations.

She worked as a staff of the Federal Ministry of Health and with Family Health International, Nigeria as a Senior Technical Officer (Care and Support Services) for people living with HIV/AIDS. She is currently an independent consultant for the Nigerian government and other agencies, facilitating needs assessments, program evaluation and capacity building activities for health care workers and staff of non-governmental organizations.

Essien Nsikan James

Legal Consultant

Nsikan Essien is a Barrister and Solicitor with a proven track record in Legislative Drafting, Bill Analysis and Advisory. She holds a Master of Laws degree from the University College, London and has over 10 years’ experience working in the public sector.

Her passion for development paved the way for work with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, leading the operations of the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable. Nsikan also has a strong passion for the development of children and she volunteers as a project team member of the National Competition on Creative Writing, encouraging children at all levels to embrace a good reading and writing culture.

Prof. John Idoko MD FMCP, FAS, FNAMed, FAMedSc

Public Health Expert & Consultant

Professor Idoko is a retired Professor of Medicine at the University of Jos, Visiting Professor to NUC and an Adjunct Professor of Global Health at the Northwestern University in Chicago, USA. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria (ABU) and specialized in internal medicine and infectious diseases from ABU, University of Newcastle UK, and the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, where he was a Commonwealth Fellow in Immunology.

He served in many leadership positions, notably as the Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) where he oversaw the decrease of the national prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria from 5% to 1.4%.
He has also acted as the President of the Nigerian AIDS Research Network, Chairman, National Antiretroviral Committee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Jos, Specialist Consultant to the Petroleum Special Trust Fund (PTF). He is a council member of several universities and of the International AIDS Society (IAS), and is currently President of the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA). He is a Fellow of notable institutions such as the Nigeria Academy of Science, the National Academy of Medicine and the Academy of Medicine Specialties.

Professor Idoko’s research interests include HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, malaria and emerging epidemics. He has contributed to 10 books and published over 120 academic papers in peer-reviewed journals.