Congratulations, Dr. Nina Mezu-Nwaba, on receiving the 2026 African Cultural Night Award!
Dr. Nina Mezu-Nwaba was honored with the 2026 African Cultural Night Award at the African Cultural Night Awards Ceremony, held on September 25, 2026, in New Carrollton, Maryland. The recognition was presented as part of an evening celebrating African heritage, culture, resilience, service, and community impact, with the award ceremony coordinated through the Office of Council Member Wala Blegay, Esq., Prince George’s County Council, At-Large.
Dr. Mezu-Nwaba is a distinguished public health leader, pharmacist, and community servant with more than 30 years of service advancing healthcare and public health. A Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service, she serves in senior leadership at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
She holds a PharmD from the University of Maryland, Baltimore; an MS in Biomedical Science from Georgetown University; and an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, with executive leadership training from Harvard University.
Dr. Mezu-Nwaba is the lead pharmacist volunteer for the Mezu International Foundation, founded by Dr. S. Okechukwu Mezu and Dr. Rose Ure Mezu. Through humanitarian medical missions in Nigeria and the United States, she has helped provide medical care and medications, screenings, eyeglasses, health education, and community support to more than 30,000 underserved individuals.
She developed and leads an Opioid Overdose Response and Naloxone Administration Training Program, which has trained more than 20,000 people worldwide and facilitated the distribution of thousands of naloxone kits. She also serves as a Rotary Assistant Governor and has developed innovative health outreach initiatives that bring education, screening, and wellness resources directly into communities.
Her distinguished public health service includes responding to 9/11, anthrax, Ebola, COVID-19, and hurricane emergencies, supporting healthcare initiatives for Native American communities, and helping address gaps in healthcare access.
A proud wife and mother, Dr. Mezu-Nwaba and her husband are the parents of four accomplished children: three physicians and one attorney. One of ten siblings, she continues a family legacy of service, leadership, and excellence.
NAPPSA congratulates Dr. Nina Mezu-Nwaba on this meaningful recognition and celebrates her continued commitment to public health, global health, humanitarian service, mentorship, and the communities she serves.