Dr. (Mrs) Dere Awosika is a distinguished administrator with over 30 years work experience in public health and the public sector where she held a number of positions and rose to become the Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Internal Affairs; Science and Technology; and Power, from where she retired in 2013.

She is a sought after resource person for leading organizations including the World Bank and the Federal Government of Nigeria. She holds a Doctorate degree in Pharmacy from the University of Bradford, UK and is an alumna of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Plateau State.

She is a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and the National Institute of Directors, and a member of the Great Britain Clinical Pharmacists Forum. She is a recipient of several honours and awards, including the National Honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR).