DG/CEO
CELESTINE OKANYA
DIRECTOR GENERAL/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Celestine Okanya is an International Expert on Nonprofit Organization Management and a Registered Clinical Pharmacist. He has over 30 years diverse professional experience ranging from Research, Pharmaceutical Sciences, corporate management, Academic Planning, and management of Nonprofit Organizations.
Celestine Joined Nigeria National Accreditation System (NiNAS) from Peaceland College of Education, Enugu where he was Director, Academic Planning. Prior to this, He held other positions, including; Principal Consultant, SSN Consulting Nigeria; Executive Director, Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realization, POWER and served as the President of Children and youth International (CYI), a US based Nonprofit Organization.
Celestine Okanya is currently the President of the Regional Accreditation System (RAS) for ECOWAS region.
He is an alumni of University of Jos, Nigeria, Hamline University St Paul MN, United States, and Chulaongkorn University, Thailand.
DIRECTOR
LAWRENA OKORO
Director, Laboratory Accreditation
Lawrena Okoro is a Laboratory Specialist with over 22 years working experience. She recently joined Nigeria National Accreditation System where she currently works as Director Laboratory Accreditation. She holds a PHD degree in Medical Microbiology and Parasitology and Master of Science degree in Total Quality Management and Organisational Excellence.
She started her work career with the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital as a Medical Laboratory Scientist. She later joined the Family Health International GHAIN project where she was the Senior Laboratory Advisor High Tech and Quality management. Prior to joining NiNAS management team, she served as a public servant and rose to the post of Deputy Registrar/Director Laboratory Accreditation and Regulation of Medical Laboratory Science Council.
INTR. EXPERT
STEPHEN CROSS
International Expert on Accreditation
Stephen Cross is the former Vice-President of Accreditation Services with the Standards Council of Canada. In this position Stephen directed the activities of SCC’s accreditation programs for laboratories, certification bodies and inspection bodies. Over a thirteen year period with the SCC he managed both the laboratory accreditation program and certification body program as well as audited organizations for accreditation purposes.
Prior to working at the SCC, Stephen was the Technical Manager for Environmental Choice, a product certification program leading to Canada’s Eco-label. Previous to working in the field of conformity assessment, Stephen worked as a technical underwriter in the commercial insurance industry. This involved underwriting of general, professional and environmental liability, as well as commercial property through the application of quality management and risk management principles.
Stephen has carried out a number of contractual assignments in Africa in the field of conformity assessment and is currently working on this basis for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, to assist with the establishment of an accreditation service for Nigeria. Stephen has degrees in Biochemistry, Environmental Studies and Business Administration.
QUAL. MGR.
OKECHUKWU EJIOFOR
Quality Manager
Okechukwu Ejiofor is a Metrologist with over 20 years work experience in verification, training and development of SOPs. In February, 2018, he joined the Nigeria National Accreditation System (NiNAS) as Quality Manager. He holds both a B.Sc. and an M.Sc in Physics from the University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
Before joining NiNAS, Okechukwu was a Chief Legal Metrology Officer in the Weights and Measures Department of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Nigeria, where he served as a supervisor and quality manager. He has successfully completed Quality Management Representative (ISO 9001:2015, ISO 19011:2011) and Certified Quality Manager (ISO 22000, TQM) training courses. In 2016, Okechukwu Ejiofor successfully completed the Accreditation Assessor Training Course (as per ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 19011) organised by UNIDO to raise a pool of assessors for NiNAS. In addition, he has attended training courses in ISO/IEC 17011:2004 and ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
Head Bus. Dev
JOSHUA JEGEDE
Head, Business Developmen
Joshua Jegede is the Head of Business Development Department comprising of ICT, Marketing and Media/Communication Units. He is an Engineer by training with over 15-years hands-on experience in Information and Communication Technology, and Business Management. He holds an MBA from the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. His area of expertise in ICT includes computer networking, network security, programming, database management, web design, application development, ICT system development and infrastructure management. He is also an expert in Business Transformation strategies, business intelligence solutions and CRM development with proven results
Joshua joined Nigeria National Accreditation System from UNIDO quality Infrastructure Project for Nigeria where he served as the ICT/Web Content Expert. Prior to joining UNIDO he was an IT Assistant with OXFAM NOVIB. Other previous positions include Web Master for University of Maiduguri ICT unit; Project Manager, Stockmatch Ltd; Director, Digitalink Technologies; Technical Manager, Yaysib computers.
He is an alumnus of University of Nicosia, Cyprus, University of Maiduguri and National Open University of Nigeria. He is also a graduate of African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (CentreLSD).
Admin/Finance
OKOLO ROSEMARY
HEAD OF FINANCE AND ACCREDITATION OFFICER II
Okolo Rosemary O. is a graduate of agronomy and ecological management. She holds a B.sc in soil science from Enugu state university of science and technology, Enugu state.
She started her carrier with the Enugu state university commercial farm. She later joined Federal Ministry of Agriculture and was in charge of IT students in the climate department of the Ministry. Rosemary joined NiNAS from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
Bus. Dev.
UGWU ANDREW KOSISOCHUKWU
Corporate Business Development Assistant
Ugwu Andrew Kosisochukwu is the cooperate business development assistant for Nigerian national accreditation system, NiNAS. I am from Enugu State, I graduated from the department of Physics and astronomy University of Nigeria Nsukkka. I am great team player and sales person with over 10 years’ experience in sales and marketing. I managed fayrouz leisure cabin in UNN (in collaboration with Nigerian breweries) where I promote fayrouz as brand and became the tier 1 outlet nationwide. I served as the secretary in university of Nigerian alumni association. I worked as a technician in National Energy Centre UNN, 2012. I also served as an instructor in the ministry of youth development and skills acquisition, Zamfara state during my NYSC. I enjoy using my leadership skills, integrity and confidentiality to contribute to the exciting technological and economical advances that happens every day in NiNAS. I earned the award of best performing student government president in UNN, 2013 as a result of my exemplary academic performance and leadership skills. My best hobbies are reading, travelling and playing chess.
Doc. Control
PATIENCE UZOR BASSEY
Document Control Officer
Patience is the Document Control Officer for Nigeria National Accreditation system(NiNAS) She is a graduate of library and information science from the University of Calabar. She hails from cross river state. Prior to working with NiNAS, she started her career from the college of health technology Library Calabar where she worked as an intern tasked with various responsibilities, a Librarian inclusive.
She has also work in the Federal Ministry of Finance as a Librarian where she met and server the library user community. She took care of the library resources by managing collection development and acquisitions, cataloguing and classification, circulation.
In addition to be a librarian, she also loves to read, write and she is also peripatetic.
Qlty Control
ODOH EMMANUEL NONSO
Quality Manager Assistant,
ODOH Emmanuel Nonso is a Quality Manager Assistant, a Nurse/Midwife who hold a B.Sc. in Nursing Science from the University of Jos Plateau state. His areas of expertise include Formulation of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), planning and scheduling for official meetings, drafting out agendas, identifying area where improvement can be made and suggesting new technologies to streamline process, rendering holistic care to patients/clients and drafting out business plan/proposal.
Haven worked with NiNAS as an intern performing various tasks upon request, he worked with International SOS as a Site/Clinic Nurse and also with Lafargeholcim as a Site Nurse. As a youth corper he worked as a Nursing officer in General Hospital Okorette Eastern Obollo, Akwa Ibom
ICT
FAROUK NELSON HABU
ICT & WEB Assistant
Farouk Nelson Habu is a computer scientist and electrical/electronics engineer. Driven by a passion for ICT, he takes pride in providing the best IT-related assistance possible. As an ICT/WEB Assistant, his goals include ensuring the availability of and access to information that enables staff members to make timely, informed decisions by strengthening data and knowledge management approaches; promoting an enterprise approach to information sharing that fosters decision-making through the use of analytic technology; providing a robust and secure IT infrastructure that supports on-demand access to information; and deploying a modernized IT infrastructure that enables seamless access to information resources. Farouk is a member of the International Association of Engineers, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, GetRight Technologies Institute, and Huawei ICT Academy, and is also an alumnus of the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Before joining NiNAS, Farouk worked as a data analyst with GetRight Technologies, where he was involved in the training of staff from Tearfund and its partners on Advance Excel and data collection/analysis for the TETFUND national research fund project on Pedagogical and Andragogical Approaches of Sports and Performing Acts for children and women mental health rehabilitation in Nigeria IDP camps just to mention a few. He has also published journals notable among is Humanitarian Health Intervention of Non-Governmental Organizations to Stadium Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Maiduguri Borno State from 2018-2021.
ICT
SAMIR HUSSAINI
ICT & WEB Assistant
Samir Hussaini is an ICT & WEB Assistant humble engineer by training with a solid combination of academic preparation holding a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Kebbi State University of Science and Technology Aliero, a Higher National Diploma in Civil engineering, National Diploma in Civil engineering from Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Certificate in Islamic Economics from International Islamic University of Malaysia, certificate in computer.
His area of trainings includes web design, software development, robotic process, animation, cyber security, information system security, effective business website, Data analysis, organizational capacity assessment, quality infrastructure and trade, quality policy, quality management. Samir Hussaini joined Nigeria National Accreditation System (NiNAS) from Palladium International as s data analyst, a virtual intern with KPMG Australia as a Data analyst, MSME Africa as a web manager, Women in ICT as a state coordinator, He also work on contract with federal ministry of agriculture and rural development for AFJP Farmer database project, GIS service availability mapping for healthcare facilities in Nigeria a collaboration of federal ministry of health, I H P, PHARMACCESS project, marina technology as an IT officer.