Dr. Abena Nyarkoa Asomaning is a dynamic leader, educator, and development expert with over two decades of multidisciplinary experience spanning academia, public policy, business consulting, and social impact. She is currently the Managing Director of Africa Environmental Sanitation Consult (AfESC) and a visiting lecturer at leading graduate schools in Ghana. She has a PhD from the University of Lille – France in Health Economics, an MBA from University of Lincolnshire, UK and a BSc in Development Planning from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana.
She previously worked with the Ministries of Health, Fisheries and Aquaculture and Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation. Her experience in the private sector includes stints with EY Ghana, Access Bank and various consulting engagements for a number of establishments such as FBN Bank, Vodafone Foundation, NHIA, Quality Insurance Company Ltd. and others.
She is on a number of international and local boards including the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in Leicester-UK, Blue Skies Foundation, the University of Education, Winneba, the Head of State Award Scheme (representing the President of the Republic of Ghana) and others. She has won an award from the Queen of England under the Points of Light Award (to be the 62nd young individual in the world) for her humanitarian work with women and contribution towards development in Ghana (2018). She has been recognized by the President of France, under the Femme de Jour recognition for women achievers in Africa (2019). Also, she has won the MTN Heroes of Change award for Social Protection (2014) and others.
An international conference speaker, Dr. Abena’s work combines rigorous academic training with deep practical insight into Africa’s development challenges and opportunities, especially around leadership, economics, healthcare and gender. For over 14 years, she has been at the forefront of women’s empowerment in Ghana. She is a prolific writer and an internationally published author.