Professor Godwin Achema is a nurse educator, researcher, administrator and clinician with more than three decades of experience spanning clinical practice, nursing education, academic scholarship and university administration. He is the Head of the Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Science and Technology, College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, a position he assumed in 2025.

A Registered Nurse with specialist training in Pediatric Nursing, Professor Achema holds a PhD in Nursing from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, and is a Fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Nurses and Midwives.

His research interests encompass medical-surgical nursing, pediatric and child health, the care and support of children living with HIV and AIDS, maternal, newborn and child health, quality care assurance, nursing education, family-centred care, nursing ethics and medical jurisprudence. He has authored more than forty peer-reviewed journal articles, as well as book chapters and a procedure book for students' clinical practice.

His scholarship on Ubuntu as a guiding philosophy of care, as well as empathic and family-centred support for children living with HIV in Nigeria, has been published in international journals, including the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care and the Japan Journal of Nursing Science. He also serves as a reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals and has presented scholarly papers at conferences in Nigeria and internationally.

Academic and Professional Career

Professor Achema began his professional career in clinical nursing practice, serving as a Senior Nursing Officer in Pediatrics at the General Hospital, Ankpa, Kogi State, from 1994 to 2000.

He subsequently transitioned into nursing education at Grimard College of Nursing and Midwifery, Anyigba, where he served as Chief Nurse Educator and later as Deputy Director of Nursing Education. He also served as Academic Secretary of the institution.

In 2010, he joined the University of Jos as a Lecturer II and progressed through the academic ranks, attaining the positions of Senior Lecturer in 2018, Associate Professor in 2021 and Professor of Nursing in 2024.

He has also served as Senior Lecturer and BNSc Coordinator at Bowen University, Iwo, and as Clinical Preceptor for North Central Nigeria under the Obafemi Awolowo University Open and Distance Learning Programme.

At the University of Jos, Professor Achema has held several academic and administrative responsibilities, including Examination Officer, Postgraduate Coordinator and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Health Science and Technology, before his appointment as Head of the Department of Nursing Science.

He currently serves as a Visiting Professor at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, and as Nursing Faculty Consultant to United Methodist University, Monrovia, Liberia, and Salem University, Lokoja.

Research Interests

Professor Achema's research interests include:

• Care and support of children living with HIV and AIDS
• Family-centred and culturally grounded models of care
• Maternal, newborn and child health
• Pediatric and adolescent health
• Community health
• Nursing ethics and medical jurisprudence
• Nursing education
• Quality assurance in nursing care
• Standardized nursing languages

Teaching and Academic Contributions

Professor Achema has taught across a broad range of undergraduate and postgraduate nursing courses. His teaching areas include:

• Medical and Surgical Nursing
• Pediatric Nursing
• Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice
• Ethics and Medical Jurisprudence
• Research and Statistics
• Maternal and Child Health Nursing
• Community Health Nursing
• Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Neonatology and Critical Care Nursing
• Principles of Management in Nursing Services

Through his teaching, research and academic supervision, he contributes to the development of competent, ethical and compassionate nursing professionals.

Publications and Scholarly Engagement

Professor Achema has authored more than forty peer-reviewed journal articles published in national and international journals. His scholarly work is complemented by contributions to book chapters and the development of educational resources for students' clinical practice.

His research has addressed important issues in pediatric and child health, HIV/AIDS care, family-centred nursing, culturally responsive care, nursing ethics and the philosophy of nursing practice.

He serves as a reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals and has presented research findings and scholarly papers at conferences and professional forums in Nigeria, West Africa, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

External Examination

Professor Achema has served as a postgraduate external examiner for universities in Nigeria and internationally. His external examination engagements include:

South Africa

• University of KwaZulu-Natal
• University of Cape Town
• University of Johannesburg

Malaysia

• Universiti Teknologi MARA

Nigeria

• National Open University of Nigeria
• Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
• Bayero University, Kano
• Babcock University
• Bingham University, Karu — undergraduate examinations
• Taraba State University, Jalingo — undergraduate examinations

These engagements reflect his contribution to academic quality assurance and professional standards in nursing education.

Community Service and Social Responsibility

Professor Achema is actively involved in community-based initiatives supporting vulnerable populations. His community service includes supportive care for orphans and vulnerable children living with HIV and AIDS in Anyigba, Lokoja and Ankpa communities of Kogi State, as well as in Jos.

Through his involvement with the Good Shepherd Health and Welfare Foundation and Victory Orphanage Home, Bukuru, he contributes to initiatives aimed at improving the welfare and wellbeing of vulnerable children.

He also supports the care of older persons at Confidence Aged Care Home, Jos, and contributes to the humanitarian activities of Jesus New Life Mission International.

Professor Godwin Achema's career reflects a sustained commitment to excellence in nursing education, research, clinical practice, academic leadership and community service. His work combines professional expertise with a strong interest in compassionate, culturally responsive and family-centred healthcare, particularly for children and other vulnerable populations.