Rotary International has selected Nigerian Rotarian Olayinka Hakeem Babalola as its president for the 2026 to 2027 year. His term is set to begin on 1 July 2026. The decision came after the organisation’s Board of Directors convened a special session guided by Rotary’s code of policies to fill the vacancy created when president-elect SangKoo Yun resigned to focus on recovery from recent cancer treatment.
Babalola’s selection signals a steady hand at a sensitive moment. He brings nearly four decades of Rotary experience that began in 1988 as a Rotaractor. He joined the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi in Nigeria in 1994 and has risen through the organisation’s ranks with a record of committee leadership and field work.
His Rotary portfolio includes service as district governor in 2011 to 2012, a term on the Rotary International Board from 2018 to 2020, and vice presidency in 2019 to 2020. Those posts placed him at the heart of global governance, policy oversight and programme delivery across multiple regions.
Babalola has also been a constant in Rotary’s flagship public health effort. He served on the End Polio Now Countdown to History Campaign Committee from 2017 to 2023, contributing to fundraising, advocacy and partner engagement. He has been active with the Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee, a core platform for surveillance, vaccination support and rapid response in high-risk areas.
Rotary’s choice aligns with the organisation’s tradition of elevating leaders with deep operational experience. Babalola’s path from Rotaract to the presidency reflects a volunteer pipeline that produces administrators who understand both club realities and international mandates. Colleagues point to his steady style, grasp of governance and long service on committees that require consensus building.
The transition plan gives Rotary a clear runway. Babalola has a full programme year to engage incoming directors, refine priorities with the secretariat and work with partners on Rotary’s established pillars such as disease prevention, maternal and child health, education and community development. His background in polio eradication suggests continuity on one of Rotary’s most visible commitments.
For Nigeria’s Rotary community, the announcement recognises years of contribution to Rotary’s membership growth, programme funding and project execution across West Africa. It also underscores Rotary’s global footprint, where leadership rotates across regions while anchoring shared goals that have defined the movement for more than a century.
