Former Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has been appointed as Senior Strategic Advisor to the Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The appointment was disclosed in a statement issued by Africa CDC on Monday, April 6, and signed by Margaret Edwin, Director of Communication and Public Information.
Osinbajo served as Nigeria’s Vice President between 2015 and 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
What they are saying
Africa CDC said in his new role, Osinbajo will provide strategic guidance on Africa’s positioning in global health reforms, including financing, local manufacturing of health commodities, partnerships, and policy leadership within the African Union framework.
Commenting on the appointment, Director General of Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, highlighted Osinbajo’s experience across governance and policy.
- “Professor Osinbajo brings exceptional experience at the intersection of governance, finance, law, and diplomacy. At a time when Africa must act with greater ambition and authority on the future of health, his leadership will be invaluable.”
- “This appointment reflects Africa CDC’s commitment to mobilizing African leadership of the highest calibre in service of the continent’s health security, sovereignty, and development,” he said.
More insights
Osinbajo served as Vice-President of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023 and earlier held office as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.
During his time in office, he chaired Nigeria’s Economic Sustainability Committee, led ease-of-doing-business reforms through the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, and played a central role in the country’s social investment programmes.
In April 2022, he declared his intention to contest for Nigeria’s presidency ahead of the 2023 elections, but lost at the party primaries.
- Since leaving office, Osinbajo has taken on several high-profile international roles. In January 2026, he was appointed Co-Chair of the Future of Development Cooperation Coalition. In October 2025, the Economic Community of West African States appointed him to lead a team overseeing the 2025 presidential elections.
In August 2024, the Museum of Modern & Contemporary African Art London named him Chairman of its Board of Advisors, while he was also appointed by the United Nations Development Programme to help mobilise $1 billion for youth innovation under the Timbuktoo Fund launched at Davos in 2024.
What you should know
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is the public health agency of the African Union, tasked with supporting member states to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency preparedness and response across the continent.
For instance, in February 2025, the agency allocated $1.6 million to strengthen nine National Public Health Institutes across Africa, including Nigeria and eight other countries, as part of efforts to improve public health capacity.
In February, the Africa CDC received $4 million from China and South Korea to address financial gaps caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze various aid programs across the continent.
It is estimated that Africa receives approximately 84% of its healthcare funding from external sources.
