By Omowumi Samuel
The Managing Partner, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ACE Group, Mr Afeez Olajire, has reiterated the organisation’s commitment to disrupting conventional development models and strengthening Nigeria’s health system through people-centred, evidence-based solutions.
Olajire, who made this known to journalists in Abuja, described ACE Group as an umbrella body for Strategy and Consults Limited Liability, its humanitarian and non-profit arm, dedicated to advancing equity, innovation and sustainable health outcomes.
He said ACE was born out of years of professional experience across sectors and regions, including managing programmes in seven countries across Southeast Asia and East Africa.
According to him, these experiences exposed a persistent culture of rigid systems that are rarely questioned, even when they fail to deliver results.
“ACE came up with the conviction that we can disrupt conventional thinking, we can bring down a solution, dissect it, look at it from a neutral line and profer solution”
“There is a tendency to follow established global standards without interrogating their relevance to local realities. ACE was founded on the conviction that solutions can be examined objectively, redesigned and made more effective,” Olajire said.
He explained that the organisation is driven by a core value of humanity, both in service delivery and workplace culture.
ACE, he noted, seeks to bridge equity gaps by ensuring that access to quality healthcare is not determined by geography, wealth or social status, while also creating a supportive and humane work environment for its staff.
On achievements and growth, Olajire disclosed that ACE recorded major milestones in the past year, guided by a five-point strategic agenda. Key among these was the establishment of a dedicated research unit to document institutional progress, alongside the development of a robust data and knowledge management system to ensure continuity and scalability.
As part of its thought leadership efforts, ACE launched its first webinar series this year, focusing on health financing and the impact of funding shortages on national planning. The discussions gained heightened relevance following the sudden withdrawal of USAID funding, sparking renewed debate on sustainable financing options for the health sector.
Addressing workforce challenges, Olajire said ACE is responding to the growing trend of skilled professionals leaving the country by investing in digital and artificial intelligence-driven solutions to improve efficiency and retain talent.
He added that the organisation has significantly expanded its geographical footprint, growing from operations in 10 states last year to interventions in at least 17 states this year, driven largely by its expanding polio-related programmes.
According to him, ACE’s webinar has attracted over 400 participants across continents, while its innovative edutainment strategy, using entertainment to drive health education, has been scaled up in the North-West and North-East. The initiative, designed to improve vaccine uptake, now covers 11 states and 162 political wards.
Olajire also revealed that ACE partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to engage traditional and religious leaders as key influencers in community health interventions. Data generated from these programmes, he said, have been submitted to the Presidency and relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to support evidence-based planning.
On maternal health, Olajire noted that Nigeria remains one of the highest contributors to global maternal mortality due to post-partum haemorrhage. He said ACE has supported the rollout of tested innovations, in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, to reduce such preventable deaths.
Speaking on sustainability and quality assurance, Olajire said ACE prioritises mentorship, succession planning and staff welfare to maintain consistency as it scales.
“Our services are driven by standards and values, not by who funds the work or how much is paid,” he said.
He emphasised the critical role of government in creating an enabling policy environment and ensuring equitable resource allocation, commending the current administration for what he described as notable progress in the health sector.
Olajire remarked that ACE will continue to challenge outdated norms and scale its impact nationwide, “In just three years, we have demonstrated that systems can work better when people and evidence are placed at the centre. We remain focused on delivering impact at scale”.
Across all 2025 programs, ACE directly reached more than 1.4 million children through immunization, drug administration, and population enumeration.
With presence in over 31 states, ACE continues to serve as a strategic partner to government, donors, and communities in advancing equitable health outcomes.
ACE Strategy and Consults is a mission-driven public health management consulting organization advancing equity, strengthening health systems, and driving community-centered innovations across Nigeria.
