Osita Chidoka, OFR, NPoM, is a Nigerian institution-builder and public policy practitioner whose work spans governance, education, media and business. He is the founder of the Athena knowledge ecosystem, a network of institutions built around a single premise: that durable national progress depends on rigorous policy, capable institutions and informed public conversation.

At the centre of the ecosystem is the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, an independent, non-partisan think tank he leads as Founder and Chancellor. Its education arm includes the Athena Institute of Business and Technology, which he chairs, and the Mekaria Institute of Technology and Administration, an NBTE-accredited monotechnic he founded. Its media arm, ClearPath Media, produces OsitaInsight, his programme on the policy and political issues shaping Nigeria, while Athena Political and Regulatory Intelligence provides political and regulatory intelligence to boards and executives.

Chidoka's public-service career began in the Federal Capital Development Authority. He subsequently served as an aide to federal ministers across the Works and Housing, Transport and Federal Capital Territory portfolios, and served in the Presidency, before joining ExxonMobil in 2005.

In 2007, at 35, he was appointed Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, leading a seven-year institutional and technological transformation recognised by the World Bank's Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Policy Programme as a model for road-safety administration in developing countries. His tenure included the introduction of a biometric national driver's licence and development of the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy 2012–2016.

In 2014, he was appointed Minister of Aviation. Nigeria retained its US FAA Category One certification throughout his tenure, while his ministry achieved a 90 per cent closure rate on outstanding air-crash safety recommendations.

He is Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) and a Director of Inland Containers Nigeria Limited (ICNL) and the Legend Golden Care Foundation.

Chidoka holds a BSc from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, a Master's degree in Transport Policy and Logistics from George Mason University, and an LLB from Baze University, Abuja. He studied at Mansfield College, University of Oxford, and the National University of Singapore.

He was conferred with the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2011, is a recipient of the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPoM), and holds the traditional title of Ike Obosi.

Dr Norha Vera San Juan is a global health researcher and methodological specialist with expertise in rapid and participatory research, mental health, humanitarian health, and evidence-informed decision-making. She is based at King’s College London and University College London and is a member of the Management Board of the NIHR Research Support Service.

She has led international work on rapid research and evaluation in humanitarian and complex settings and contributed to the development of the international Standards for Rapid Evaluation and Appraisal Methods (STREAM). Her work spans Europe, Africa and the Americas and has involved collaboration with universities, governments, health systems, humanitarian organisations and communities.

In 2024–2025 she completed a thorough assessment of the access to healthcare and WASH conditions among internally displaced persons living in Maiduguri, Borno State. She has advised organisations including the International Committee for the Red Cross, MSF and Wellcome Trust, with a particular interest in strengthening locally responsive evidence, community participation, and the translation of research into policy and practice.

She holds a PhD in Social Epidemiology from King’s College London and is a member of The Lancet Commission on ending stigma and discrimination in mental health, the Lancet Commission on psychosis, and a contributor to the Lancet Commission on youth mental health, centring discourse on low- and middle-income countries.

She is also Founder and Director of the Open Mind Network, promoting mental health among Spanish-speaking communities, and a Board Member of the Colombian Ophthalmological Foundation (FOCO).

Ambassador Hadiza Mustapha is a career diplomat with advanced knowledge and experience in peace, security and governance. She has leadership and management skills with 4 decades of experience in national and international public service. As well as versatile and wide range of experiences, research and analysis skills, Information, Communications and Technology capabilities.

Hadiza served in the Nigerian Foreign Service for 35 years, reaching the peak of her career as the first female High Commissioner of Nigeria to Cameroon.

She was, until recently, the Special Advisor to the Special Envoy of the Lake Chad Basin Commission to Chad, assisting the Envoy in his mandate of supporting peaceful Transition in Chad.

She served as the Advisor of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Peace, Security and Governance from 2017 to 2021, providing strategic level advice to the Chairperson on advancing peace, stability and sustainable development on the continent.

Prior to this, Ambassador Hadiza served in several Nigerian Missions abroad including the United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, South Africa, United States of America and Cameroon.

The highlight of her diplomatic career has been working bilaterally and multilaterally with governments and multilateral institutions, to promote Pan-African and global Agendas. Her accomplishments include facilitating inter-state conflict management, advancing good governance and social development in addressing the root causes of conflicts, terrorism and violent extremism.

Hadiza Mustapha graduated from Bayero University Kano, Nigeria and received an M. Sc in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a Fellow of the War College, Nigeria and an Alumnus of the Senior Executives Education of the Harvard School of Government on National and International Security.

Ambassador Hadiza is a recipient of several Honors including the Royal Victorian Medal (RVM), Silver Category, by HRM, The Queen of England and Wales, London, 1989 and Cameroon’s Highest National Honor, Grand Commander of Valor, 2016.

She is Fluent in English, Hausa, Fulfulde and has passable knowledge of French.

Dr. Mahmud Abdulwahab is a Public Health Physician, Health and Development Economist with over 25 years of experience in clinical practice, public health, health systems management, healthcare financing, and development programming in Nigeria.

He holds an MBBS and a Master’s in Public Health both from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he also holds a Masters in Health Economics (MHE) from Bayero University Kano as well as Masters in Development studies (MDS) and Masters in Business Administration (MBA) all from Federal University Dutse.

He has broad expertise in health systems strengthening, strategic planning, healthcare financing, social health insurance, maternal, newborn and child health, immunization and HIV/AIDS programming, quality improvement, monitoring and evaluation as well as community engagement.

Dr. Abdulwahab has held several senior leadership positions within the Nigerian public health system such as being the Director of Programs at the Jigawa State Social Health Insurance Agency, Director of Public Health and Disease Control at the Jigawa State Ministry of Health and currently serves as the Director of Hospital Services Jigawa State Ministry of Health. In these roles, he has provided strategic and operational leadership in hospital management, public health programming and healthcare financing.

In addition to his government leadership experience, Dr. Abdulwahab has provided technical consultancy and programme support to major national and international health organisations, including NACA, Options UK, Mannion Daniels Consulting UK, Abt Associates USA, the National Malaria Elimination Program, the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, and the Society for Family Health.

His professional experience combines clinical medicine, public health, health economics, policy, and health systems management, giving him a multidisciplinary perspective on the challenges of healthcare delivery and financing in Nigeria.

Seun Onakoya is a Group Director, entrepreneur and strategic business leader with over two decades of experience building and leading businesses across management consulting, hospitality technology, maritime logistics and executive coaching.

Based in Abuja, Nigeria, he leads a portfolio of businesses serving public institutions, international organisations and private enterprises across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. His work spans strategic consulting, organisational transformation, governance, business development and leadership development.

Seun is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC Global), Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants in Nigeria, Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management, UK, and Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (MCIPM).

He is also a Gallup Global Strengths Certified Coach and a John Maxwell Certified Coach, Trainer and Speaker, working with executives, business leaders and public officials on leadership, strengths, behavioural insight and organisational culture.

At the heart of his leadership philosophy is the CITRATE framework: Confidentiality, Integrity, Transparency, Responsibility, Authenticity, Timeliness and Excellence. This framework guides how he leads, advises and builds organisations.

He holds an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology, USA, an MBA from Texila American University and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan.