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Ibrahim Abubakar, a Nigerian professor of infectious disease epidemiology, has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). Abubakar, who is also a renowned global health expert, will formally assume office as CEO in April 2027. His appointment has attracted commendation from Nigerians, including President Bola Tinubu, who described him as a distinguished Nigerian epidemiologist and global health expert.

Abubakar, who is set to lead an organization at the forefront of efforts to develop vaccines and strengthen preparedness against future epidemics and pandemics, has had an illustrious career that spans over two decades. He initially trained in general medicine before specializing in public health medicine. His research has covered infectious diseases, epidemiology, public health, health services and systems, clinical sciences and migration. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and later became a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2020.

Abubakar has held several senior academic and leadership positions in the United Kingdom. Between 2010 and 2012, he was a Senior Lecturer in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He also served as Professor of Health Protection at Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, from 2011 to 2012. He joined University College London in 2012 as Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology.

At UCL, he served as Director of the Institute for Global Health from 2016 to 2021. He later became Dean of the Faculty of Population Health Sciences in 2021 and Pro-Provost for Health in 2023. Abubakar has also served as a senior investigator at the MRC Clinical Trials Unit and led the UCL Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and UCL-TB.

Beyond academia, Abubakar has held several influential positions in global health. He served as chair of the World Health Organisation's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Tuberculosis until 2019 and has also chaired the WHO Global Clinical Trials Forum. He is the chair of Lancet Migration, and also served on the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, the UCL Partners Board and the board of Resolve to Save Lives.

Abubakar has received recognition from several leading medical and scientific institutions. He was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2020, became a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 2024 and was elected to the US National Academy of Medicine in 2025. He has also been appointed an Emeritus Senior Investigator at the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Founded in 2017, CEPI is a global partnership between public, private, philanthropic and Civil Society Organisations that finance and coordinate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases. The coalition played a major role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic by funding the development of several vaccine candidates that were subsequently deployed worldwide.

With Abubakar at the helm, CEPI is set to continue its efforts to develop vaccines and strengthen preparedness against future epidemics and pandemics. His appointment has been hailed as a significant milestone in global health leadership, reflecting Nigeria's growing contribution to the fight against infectious diseases.

Ibrahim Abubakar's Academic Background:

  • He qualified as a medical doctor from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1992, where he obtained his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree.
  • He later specialised in public health, earning a Master of Science from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1999.
  • In 2001, he obtained a Diploma in Public Health from the University of Cambridge before earning a PhD from the University of East Anglia in 2007.

Key Facts:

  • Ibrahim Abubakar will formally assume office as CEO in April 2027.
  • He has been appointed an Emeritus Senior Investigator at the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Research.
  • He has been elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

Abubakar's Global Health Roles:

  • He served as chair of the World Health Organisation's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Tuberculosis until 2019.
  • He is the chair of Lancet Migration and also served on the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, the UCL Partners Board and the board of Resolve to Save Lives.