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President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Professor Ibrahim Abubakar on his appointment as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), describing the development as a recognition of Nigeria’s growing contribution to global health leadership. Abubakar is a Nigerian epidemiologist and Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at University College London.
Abubakar, who has more than three decades of experience in medicine, public health research, infectious disease epidemiology and international health policy, will join CEPI in March 2027 and assume office as CEO in April 2027. He will succeed Dr Richard Hatchett, who has led the organisation since its establishment in 2017.
Tinubu said Abubakar’s expertise would strengthen CEPI’s efforts to develop vaccines and improve global preparedness against epidemics and pandemics. The professor previously served as Director of the UCL Institute for Global Health and Dean of the Faculty of Population Health Sciences, among other leadership roles.
