Former Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, has been appointed Senior Strategic Advisor to the Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The appointment was announced on Monday, April 6, in a statement signed by Margaret Edwin, Director of Communication and Public Information at Africa CDC.
Osinbajo served as Nigeria’s Vice President from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari and previously held office as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.
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, the Director General of Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, said:
“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.”
During his tenure in government, Osinbajo chaired Nigeria’s Economic Sustainability Committee, spearheaded ease-of-doing-business reforms through the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, and played a key role in the country’s social investment programmes.
Since leaving office, he has held several high-profile international roles. In January 2026, he was appointed Co-Chair of the Future of Development Cooperation Coalition. In October 2025, he led a team overseeing the ECOWAS 2025 presidential elections, and in August 2024, he was named Chairman of the Board of Advisors for the Museum of Modern & Contemporary African Art London. Additionally, he was appointed by the United Nations Development Programme to help mobilise $1 billion for youth innovation under the Timbuktoo Fund launched at Davos in 2024.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the public health agency of the African Union, supports member states in strengthening health systems, improving disease surveillance, and enhancing emergency preparedness across the continent.
For example, in February 2025, Africa CDC allocated $1.6 million to strengthen nine National Public Health Institutes across Africa, including Nigeria. The agency also received $4 million from China and South Korea to address funding gaps created after U.S. aid programs were frozen.
Currently, it is estimated that 84% of Africa’s healthcare funding comes from external sources, underscoring the need for strengthened local leadership in health systems and resource mobilisation—areas where Osinbajo’s strategic guidance is expected to play a critical role.
