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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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. 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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Public Health Expert & Consultant

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Public Health Expert & Consultant

Professor Emmanuel Otolorin is currently the Senior Regional Programmatic and Technical Advisor for the UNITAID-funded TIPTOP (Transforming Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Optimal Pregnancy) project at Jhpiego Corporation, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University. He is also the current Chair of the Nigeria National Reproductive Health Technical Working Group (NRHTWG)

He graduated with First Class Honours in Human Anatomy from the University Of Ibadan in 1969 and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery from the same school in 1972. He is a Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College (FMCOG) in Nigeria, the Fellowship of the West African College of Surgeons (FWACS), the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FRCOG) in the United Kingdom. Prof. Otolorin has served in various capacities in the Public Health space including the academia, clinical services, research, and development projects. He served as a lecturer and rose to the position of Professor at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Ibadan. From 1989 – 1992, he served as Chief Consultant Obstetrician/Gynaecologist at the Taif Maternity Hospital in Saudi Arabia and was appointed the Pioneer Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State in 1993. Prior to his current role, he was Jhpiego’s pioneer Reproductive Health Advisor at the Regional Centre for Quality of Health Care in Uganda; as the HIV/AIDS Advisor at the Jhpiego head office in Baltimore, USA, and as the Regional HIV/AIDS Advisor in Lusaka, Zambia before returning establish the Jhpiego office in Abuja in 2006. He served as the first Country Director till May 2017 when he stepped down to take up his current position.

Prof Otolorin has over 70 academic publications in peer-reviewed journals and has served as on the Board of several organizations including the Association for Reproductive and Family Health, the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) in Sagamu, Nigeria, the Olujimi Oladipo Akinkugbe (OOA) Private Ward at the FMC, Abeokuta, the Society for Quality in Healthcare in Nigeria (SQHN), and the Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation (SCHAF).

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.

President/CEO, Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH)

Prof. Ladipo is an astute administrator and world-renowned obstetrician and gynaecologist with over 50 years’ experience in healthcare delivery and development work. He is a co-founder and the President/CEO of Association for Reproductive and Family Health [ARFH], a leading not-for profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) in Nigeria noted globally for its contributions towards improving sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

He sits and has served on the boards, committees and advisory panels of many national and international organizations including the International Member Advisory Panel IPPF London (IMAP), Josmol Telemedicine Group, JHPIEGO, Pathfinder International, McArthur Foundation, AAFP, and the International Women’s Health Coalition.

He is an erudite scholar with over 190 publications in peer-reviewed journals and has received numerous awards for his work in Sexual and Reproductive Health, and development in general. Notable among them are the national merit award, Officer of the Order of Niger (OON), the 1993 WHO Sasakawa Health Award⎯for which he was the first African recipient, the Lifetime Achievement award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public health, Baltimore, USA and the Lifetime Achievement Award by the University of Ibadan in 2018.

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.

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.