Polio champion set to take over as Rotary International president

Olayinka Hakeem Babalola, a member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Nigeria. [Courtesy]

A member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Nigeria, has been elected president of Rotary International for the 2026-27 term.

Olayinka Hakeem Babalola will take office on July 1, 2026.

Babalola, a Rotary member for more than 30 years, will become the second African to lead Rotary International, after Jonathan B Majiyagbe of the Rotary Club of Kano, Nigeria, served in 2003-04.

“Rotary transforms lives – not only through the projects we deliver, but through the hope we share, the meaningful relationships we build, and the shared purpose we inspire,” said Babalola.

“In a world that urgently needs dialogue and understanding, I’m committed to helping Rotary advance peace, expand opportunity, and support communities – and each of us – to grow and thrive.”

He has championed peacebuilding and worked to strengthen community development efforts across Africa throughout his time in Rotary.

Babalola has been actively involved with Rotary’s Peace Center at Makerere University in Uganda – the organisation’s first on the continent – where he has helped Peace Fellows apply their training through local initiatives. 

He was engaged in Rotary’s polio eradication efforts, serving on the End Polio Now Countdown to History Campaign Committee and advising the Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee.

The African region was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2020, though outbreaks of variant poliovirus continue in under-immunized areas but can be stopped with vaccination and surveillance.

As head of Rotary’s 45,000 clubs worldwide, Babalola will lead the organisation’s top priority to end polio.

Together with its Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners, Rotary has reduced polio cases by 99.9 per cent and contributed more than US$2.9 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect over 3 billion children from the paralysing disease.

Rotary members throughout the world develop and implement sustainable, community-driven projects that fight disease, promote peace, provide clean water, support education, save mothers and children, grow local economies and protect the environment.

More than US$5.5 billion has been awarded through The Rotary Foundation – Rotary’s charitable arm that helps clubs work together to perform meaningful, impactful service – to support these initiatives over the last 100 years.