I was influenced in my career choice by my father. He is also a chartered accountant, and I was fascinated by all the success stories around him. I could not wait to be in his shoes!
My career started as a banking officer with a bank in Abuja. Since then, I have worked in various management and business development roles across the public and private sectors in countries that include the UAE and UK. Wherever I’ve worked, including in volunteer roles, the knowledge gained from my ACCA training has been invaluable.
The Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN) was set up nearly a decade ago by prominent business people including Aliko Dangote, chairman and CEO of Dangote Group. Its vision is to combine private sector resources with the efforts of the government to speed up and improve health and wellness outcomes in Nigeria.
We are launching a programme to help HR professionals support staff experiencing emotional difficulties
My role is to increase PSHAN’s value and sustainability, and ensure our resources are well managed in line with strategy. As head of enterprise resource management (ERM), I support the strategic thinking and direction of the organisation through the coordination and direction of finance, administration and HR functions. This is achieved through competent and productive allocation of organisational resources.
The pandemic led to disruption in the supply of essential medicines, equipment and vaccines – all commodities essential for maintaining the health of Nigerians. This in turn led to a shutdown of some of our projects, however it also gave us a chance to innovate.
In response to the pandemic, PSHAN established a number of targeted new programmes. The Covid Awareness Programme, for example, is a public enlightenment initiative that supports healthcare participants in strengthening Covid-19 awareness, prevention and control. PSHAN is also conducting a nationwide survey on the state of vaccine uptake, the Vaccine Hesitancy Assessment, to help improve our rates of vaccination.
Lockdowns and losing loved ones affected the emotional wellbeing of many Nigerians. In response to this, we are also launching a programme to help HR professionals support staff experiencing emotional difficulties.
I gain huge satisfaction from helping to reshape the healthcare story in Nigeria
One of our current initiatives is the Adopt a Primary Healthcare Facility Programme (ADHFP). Targeted at supporting the healthcare system at the community level, the ADHFP aims to deliver a global standard primary healthcare facility (PHC) facility in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. In providing these facilities, we also solve some of the supply chain challenges such as the shortage of drugs at points of use, interfacing directly with manufacturers, reducing cost and risk.
If I had law-making powers, I would tackle children’s right to care – physical and emotional, as well as the abolition of child labour. In Nigeria, often children are left in the care of unqualified persons and so are exposed to dangers. I care about children; if I was not an accountant, I would have liked to have become a paediatrician.
There are many things I enjoy about my job, like working under a visionary leader with great teammates. I love that every day presents different challenges, and I gain huge satisfaction from helping to reshape the healthcare story in Nigeria.
My biggest career achievement is persevering and finally qualifying with ACCA. It was difficult but I kept at it because I understood the benefits that would accrue.
Outside of work, I am involved in youth and women’s development initiatives within my community. During the lockdown, I took up gardening and I also love to spend time with my family.
