President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Professor Ibrahim Abubakar on his appointment as the next Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, CEPI.
Tinubu described the appointment as a major recognition of Nigeria’s growing role in global health leadership and praised Abubakar for his contributions to medicine, public health and the fight against infectious diseases.
The President conveyed his congratulatory message in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The statement was titled, “President Tinubu congratulates Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar on appointment as new Chief Executive Officer of CEPI.”
According to the Presidency, Abubakar is a distinguished Nigerian epidemiologist and global health expert who currently serves as Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at University College London, UCL.
He is expected to join CEPI in March 2027 and formally take over as the organisation’s chief executive in April 2027.
Abubakar brings more than 30 years of experience in medicine, infectious disease epidemiology, public health research, policy and international health leadership to the new position.
Tinubu said Abubakar’s long record of service in global health made him suitable to lead an organisation that plays an important role in preparing the world for future disease outbreaks and pandemics.
The President noted that Abubakar had held several important positions at UCL, including Director of the UCL Institute for Global Health and Dean of the Faculty of Population Health Sciences.
He has also been involved in international efforts aimed at strengthening pandemic preparedness and improving the global response to infectious diseases.
“The President believes Prof. Abubakar’s appointment is a significant recognition of Nigeria’s growing contribution to global health leadership and a testament to the excellence, expertise and commitment of Nigerian professionals working on the international stage,” the statement said.
Tinubu also commended CEPI for its work in promoting international cooperation, scientific research and fair access to vaccines and other medical tools needed to tackle emerging health threats.
He said the organisation’s work was important at a time when the world continued to face the risk of new infectious diseases and future pandemics.
The President also praised the outgoing CEPI chief executive, Dr Richard Hatchett, for his leadership of the organisation since its establishment in 2017.
He welcomed the decision by the CEPI board to ensure a smooth transition before Abubakar formally assumes office.
Tinubu expressed confidence that the incoming CEO would bring his experience, knowledge and leadership skills to the organisation as it carries out its 2027-2031 strategy.
The President said he expected Abubakar to contribute to efforts to ensure that the international community could respond quickly to future pandemics and protect lives through faster development and distribution of vaccines.
He also wished the professor success in his new position and assured him of Nigeria’s continued support for international partnerships focused on global health security, scientific cooperation and equal access to vaccines.
Abubakar’s appointment is expected to further raise Nigeria’s profile in international health and scientific circles.
His career has included work across several areas of public health, particularly infectious diseases and epidemiology.
Epidemiology involves the study of how diseases spread, who is affected and the factors that influence their occurrence. It plays a major role in disease prevention, outbreak control and public health planning.
The field became particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when governments and health organisations around the world relied on epidemiologists and other public health experts to track infections and guide measures to control the spread of the virus.
CEPI itself was established in 2017 as a global partnership involving governments, private organisations, philanthropic bodies and civil society groups.
Its main purpose is to finance and coordinate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases.
The organisation became particularly prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic after it provided funding for the development of several vaccine candidates.
Some of the vaccine projects supported by CEPI later contributed to the wider global response to the pandemic, helping increase the availability of vaccines.
The organisation has continued to focus on preparing for future outbreaks by supporting vaccine research and development before a major health crisis occurs.
This approach is based on the need to reduce the time required to develop vaccines when a new infectious disease emerges.
The COVID-19 pandemic showed the difficulties countries can face when a new disease spreads rapidly across borders.
It also exposed differences in access to vaccines and other medical supplies between richer and poorer countries.
CEPI has therefore placed emphasis not only on vaccine development but also on ensuring that vaccines and other health tools are available to populations that need them.
Abubakar’s appointment comes as CEPI prepares to implement its strategy for the 2027-2031 period.
His experience in infectious disease epidemiology and global health is expected to be important as the organisation seeks to strengthen international preparedness for future outbreaks.
The appointment has also been welcomed by the Nigerian government as evidence of the contribution of Nigerian professionals to international institutions.
For Nigeria, global health leadership has become increasingly important as the country continues to strengthen its capacity to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.
Nigeria has faced several public health emergencies over the years, including outbreaks of Ebola, Lassa fever, cholera and other infectious diseases.
The country’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted the importance of strong disease surveillance systems, medical research, vaccination programmes and cooperation between national and international health institutions.
The Federal Government has therefore continued to work with international partners on disease prevention, health security and emergency response.
Tinubu’s congratulatory message signals the government’s support for Abubakar’s new international role and its willingness to maintain cooperation with organisations working to protect global health.