Legal status
Stephen Akuma Network Foundation is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as Incorporated Trustees, registration number 8032724, dated 26 October 2024. SANF has worked in Benue State since 2017.
View our certificate of incorporation (PDF)
Trustees
Our registered trustees are Dr Stephen Akuma, Dr Peter Itodo, Barr. Ochima George Esa (named on the certificate as George Ochima), Dr Maryam Abubakar, Doofan Akuma and Jacob Akuma.
Our leadership team, trustees and advisers are listed below.
Meet the Team
Our leadership team, trustees and advisers
Stephen Shiaondo Akuma, PhD
Founder and TrusteeLecturer in Computer Science at Benue State University, with a PhD in Computing and an MSc in Software Development from Coventry University, UK. Founder and CEO of SACS Computers.
Dr Peter Itodo
Director of Finance and Trustee
Emmanuel Okube
Director of CommunicationsSoftware Developer and health informatics specialist, with over seven years experience building web and mobile applications, including electronic health record systems. Formerly Health Informatics Officer at Jhpiego.
Barr. Ochima George Esa
Legal Adviser and TrusteeSenior Associate at Marble Partners LP. A legal practitioner, litigation counsel and human rights advocate, and a member of the Computer Forensic Institute of Nigeria.
Doofan Akuma
TrusteeManager and Head of Environmental Safety at SACS Computers, our training partner.
Jacob Akuma
Trustee
Dr Maryam Abubakar
Adviser and TrusteeMedical practitioner specialising in neonatology and paediatrics, with fellowships and residencies at the University of Virginia Children's Hospital, BronxCare Health System/Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital.
Mr Henry Akya
Adviser
Prof. Kohol Shadrach Iornem
AdviserProfessor of Business Management at Regent College London, with a Master's degree and a PhD from Cardiff Metropolitan University. Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants.
Mavis Dooshima Orjime
AdviserSocial Development Adviser at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), with over 16 years' experience in gender equality, social inclusion and social protection across Nigeria. Formerly with USAID-funded programmes, Mercy Corps and FHI 360.
Mr Gabriel Osas Enehizena
AdviserSenior QA Test Engineer at L&Q, with an MBA in Global Business and a BSc in Business Information Technology from Coventry University, UK. ISTQB Advanced certified test specialist.
Dr Igu Joel
AdviserQuality Data Center Manager at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, with an MBA from Johns Hopkins University, an MS in Global Health Sciences from UCSF and an MBBS from the University of Nigeria. Former McKinsey & Company consultant.
The leadership team meets every quarter to review programmes, finances and risks.
Political neutrality
SANF is non-partisan. We do not support or oppose any candidate or party, and our voter education is open to everyone. Our founder stood as the National Conscience Party's candidate for Governor of Benue State in 2019, in a personal capacity. No SANF funds or programmes are used for party political activity.
Conflict of interest
Our founder, Dr Stephen Akuma, is also the founder and CEO of SACS Computers, our training partner. Two other trustees are members of his family: Doofan Akuma, his wife, who is a manager at SACS Computers, and Jacob Akuma, his brother. The two organisations share an address in Makurdi. SACS Computers also designed this website.
SANF puts forward young people from its mentorship programme for training at SACS Computers, and sometimes pays for their places. That is why we take these steps to protect the funds we receive:
- Every trustee, leader and adviser declares their interests each year.
- Dr Akuma, Doofan Akuma and Jacob Akuma step aside from any SANF decision about contracts or payments to SACS Computers.
- Those decisions are approved by the Director of Finance and at least one trustee or adviser with no link to SACS Computers or the Akuma family.
- For any purchase over ₦500,000, we compare at least two quotes.
- All payments to SACS Computers are shown in our annual accounts.
How we manage funds
- Donations go into a bank account held in the name Stephen Akuma Network Foundation.
- Every payment needs approval from two authorised signatories.
- Grant funds given for a specific purpose are tracked separately and used only for that purpose.
- Our annual accounts are prepared for independent review by a chartered accountant.
Reports and financial statements
Our annual reports and financial statements will be published here as they become available.
Questions
Contact our Director of Finance at [email protected].
Mentor a young person, run a workshop or help at an event. Volunteers who work with young people go through our safeguarding checks.
Make a Donation
To sponsor a programme, please contact us first, or
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