Dr Sada Danmusa
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Sada, CEO of the Development Outcomes Support Center, is medical doctor and public health expert. He has a wealth of experience in the field of public health and development in Nigeria. His distinguished career has been marked by impactful leadership roles, notably leading a technical support unit dedicated to enhancing family planning, MNCH, and primary health care services. Collaborating with entities such as UNICEF, he played a crucial role in scaling MNCH and PMTCT services at both state and national levels.
His expertise extends to successful leadership of various donor-funded projects, including those by Pathfinder International, Futures Group, and Palladium under the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. As the current CEO, Dr. Sada provides overarching leadership to multiple projects, with significant achievements in the development of Nigeria’s first family planning costed implementation plan and the strategic roll-out of the DMPA-SC (Sayana Press) scale-up plan.
Dr. Sada's commitment to innovation is evident in his leadership of The Curve Project, emphasizing the scaling of Responsive Feedback mechanisms in Nigeria’s development programs. His prior roles, such as Country Representative for The Health Policy Project and Head of Program Delivery Unit at NPHCDA, underscore his dedication to strengthening health systems. Overall, Dr. Sada's leadership and accomplishments position him as a pivotal figure in advancing public health and development initiatives in Nigeria.
Dr Mohammed Liman
Director, Business Development and Operations
Dr. Mohammed Liman is a medical doctor and public health and development professional, with an extensive career that spans both the Nigeria public sector and international organizations. His robust background in public health is complemented by honed skills in program management, business development, and leadership. Over the years, he has successfully designed and overseen large-scale and complex multi-donor programs and projects, supported by USAID, GFATM, World Bank, DFID and BMGF.
Dr. Liman's expertise spans a wide spectrum of public health areas, including reproductive health, maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and health system strengthening. With an in-depth knowledge of the local, state, and federal contexts of health systems, Dr. Liman has played pivotal roles at different levels, demonstrating his adaptability and effectiveness. Notably, he served as the Chief of Party/National Program Manager of the DFID-funded Working to Improve Nutrition in Northern Nigeria (WINNN) program, a project implemented by Save the Children in partnership with UNICEF and Action Against Hunger. Prior to this, as an Associate Director with Family Health International, Dr. Liman made substantial contributions to large-scale HIV/AIDS, TB, and other health programs in Nigeria.
Dr. Liman's impactful contributions extend to governance roles, where he served on different occasions as the Executive Secretary of the Bauchi State Agency for the Control of AIDS, TB, and Malaria, as well as the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Hospitals Management Board. In these roles, he demonstrated strategic acumen in effectively navigating the complexities of health challenges at the sub-national level. Dr. Liman's wealth of experience and strategic vision position him as a valuable asset to the organization.
Professor Okey Akpala
Director Programmes
Professor Okey Akpala is a highly experienced Community Physician and Senior Leadership and Management Advisor with over 30 years of experience in Senior Academic, Government, and Health Team Leadership. He holds a MBBS degree from the University of Nigeria and a Master’s Degree in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Glasgow, Scotland. He also holds the Membership of the Faculty of Community Medicine (MFCM) of the Royal College of Physicians of UK in 1989 and Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP).
Professor Akpala's relevant experience includes his role as the Director of Health Systems Development at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), where he led the team that developed and pioneered the implementation of the Midwives Services Scheme (MSS), which aimed to increase skilled attendance at birth at primary health care level to facilitate the reduction in maternal, newborn, and child morbidity and mortality. He also oversaw the training, capacity development, and mentoring of PHC staff and developed appropriate social communication campaigns to publicize PHC activities.
As a at the Development Outcomes and Support Centre, Professor Akpala provides technical support to strengthen national governments' leadership/management capacity for the scale-up of FP services, including its integration into wider MNCH/PHC services in the country. He has also been part of the team that led the development of the first National Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan and first National FP Workplan. Additionally, he has provided technical support to the FMOH in strengthening the RH coordinating platform and a performance management system to monitor progress.
Overall, Professor Akpala's extensive leadership, management, and technical expertise in the field of health care, particularly in the areas of maternal and child health and family planning, make him a valuable asset in the project
Dr Lawal Abubakar
Technical Advisor, Northern Region
Dr Lawal Abubakar is a public health professional with extensive experience in policy development, strategic planning, and program management. He holds a PhD in Public Health and has worked as a Technical Advisor to the Kaduna State Commissioner of Health, where he facilitated the development of numerous strategic documents related to public health, including the Kaduna State Health Policy and the Public-Private-Partnership for Health. Additionally, he has worked as a Deputy Director of Public Health, State PMTCT/HIV Focal Person, and Monitoring & Evaluation Officer for the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, where he facilitated the development of operational plans for health programs and contributed to significant improvements in health indicators. His experience in consultancy includes conducting a Political Economy Analysis to inform strategic programming for the Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL).
Ibrahim Umar Elayo
Finance and Admin Manager
Ibrahim Umar Elayo is a highly skilled finance and operations professional with a robust background in designing and managing finance and administrative systems, particularly for international-funded projects in Nigeria. Holding a master's in business administration, a postgraduate diploma in business management, and a higher national diploma in business administration and management, Mr. Elayo has demonstrated proficiency in various locations, including Nigeria and Zimbabwe, and is fluent in both English and Hausa.
His extensive experience encompasses operations, office management, accounting, grants, finance, and administration. Mr. Elayo has effectively managed large budgets, projected expenditures, supervised human and material resources, overseen procurement processes, maintained general ledgers, coordinated logistics, managed assets, conducted audits, and performed financial reviews. His expertise extends to a deep understanding of generally accepted accounting principles, auditing standards, general ledger, and accounts reconciliation, including sub-grants and sub-awards.
Okwesa Nkiruka Cecilia
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
Okwesa Nkiruka Cecilia is a highly experienced Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) professional with a decade-long track record in diverse development sector projects. Holding a Master's in Public Health/Epidemiology and a Bachelor's in Microbiology, Okwesa excels in critical thinking, strategic planning, and adaptable M&E practices.
Her comprehensive skill set includes excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation abilities, coupled with strong interpersonal skills and leadership acumen. Proficient in project design, MEL workplan development, and logical design methodologies, Okwesa is skilled in evaluations and data visualization using tools like Power BI.
With expertise in Program Areas such as Malaria, Immunization, HIV/AIDS, Family Planning, and SRHR, Okwesa has collaborated with major donors and private sectors. Having made significant contributions to organizations like Development Outcomes and Support Centre, Ipas Nigeria, and Society for Family Health, her achievements include developing M&E frameworks, digitalizing data collection, and leading multiple evaluations.
Dije Abdullahi
Senior Programme Officer
Dije is a seasoned nurse/midwife with an impressive career spanning over 18 years in the healthcare sector. Her previous roles include serving as the Senior Research/Monitoring & Evaluation Manager at Population Services International Nigeria (PSIN), Friends for Global Health Initiative in Nigeria (FGHiN), and Family Health International (FHI360), where she made significant contributions to improving health outcomes.
Dije's expertise in program implementation has been a cornerstone of her career. She has played a pivotal role in the planning and execution of numerous projects and programs, showcasing her adeptness in navigating complex healthcare landscapes. Furthermore, Dije has provided valuable technical assistance to several public sector organizations in Nigeria, particularly in the area of program improvement. Her commitment to advancing healthcare in Nigeria is evident through her multifaceted contributions and leadership in program development and enhancement.