Nkeiruka (NK) Obi BSc. (Hons), MBA, GPHR, FNIM, FIMC, CMC

Vice President and Regional Director for Africa, Smile Train

Mrs. Nkeiruka (NK) Obi is Smile Train’s Vice President and Regional Director for Africa, and a seasoned development specialist with over 26 years of experience across the private and non-profit sectors.

Her professional journey spans more than a decade in the banking industry, where she held various managerial positions. Before joining Smile Train in March 2011, she served as Head/Senior Manager of Prestige Banking at United Bank for Africa Plc. At Smile Train, she began as Program Director for West and Central Africa, driving regional growth and strategic partnerships in cleft care.

A passionate advocate for stronger health systems across Africa, NK champions government and community-based collaboration to advance health and child-focused initiatives. Her work emphasizes policy reform, infrastructure development, capacity building, research, and innovation through evidence-based approaches.

NK has cultivated a robust network of community leaders and influencers—including African First Ladies—to amplify awareness around cleft conditions. Her advocacy with national ministries of health has catalyzed multi-level strategic investments in cleft care, resulting in Africa’s first Cleft and Surgery E-Registry and the establishment of the continent’s first Cleft Leadership Centre. She also played a pivotal role in launching the Post-Fellowship Cleft Surgery Certification Program with the West African College of Surgeons and developing telehealth programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She contributes to numerous organizations advancing access to quality healthcare across Africa. NK is an Advisory Group Member of the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030, and serves with several professional bodies, including the Global Initiative for Children’s Surgery, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, and multiple regional and international surgical training committees—among them, the COSECSA-WACS Post Fellowship Intercollegiate Committee on Cleft Training in Africa and Smile Train’s International Working Group on Congenital Anomaly Registry.

NK’s leadership and impact have earned her numerous recognitions, including:

·  Ambassador for Newborns in Nigeria

·  Ambassador for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (2021)

·  One of the 100 Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD100, 2020)

·  Global Health Leader by Global Citizens (2019)

A Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered), NK also holds memberships with Rotary International, the Golden Key International Honour Society, and the Bible Society of Nigeria.

She earned a BSc in Physics (Honors) from the University of Calabar, an MBA, and has completed several executive programs at Harvard Business School. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Health Psychology. NK is also a Certified Management Consultant, a Global Professional in Human Resources, and an alumna of Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, and the Haggai Institute of Advanced Leadership, USA.