Olayinka Babalola: Nigerian Engineer Assumes Office as Rotary International President 2026–27

PORT HARCOURT: Olayinka Hakeem Babalola officially assumed office today as President of Rotary International for the 2026–27 term, becoming one of Africa’s leading voices to guide the global service organisation.

Born in Ibadan, Nigeria, Babalola earned an engineering degree in 1988 before building a 25-year career in the oil and gas sector, where he held senior leadership roles at Shell. He later founded two companies focused on infrastructure delivery and executive coaching.

His professional affiliations include the Institute of Directors, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria and the Association of Change Management Professionals. He is also a member of the Jericho Businessmen Club in Ibadan.

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Babalola’s connection with Rotary began long before his presidency through nearly a decade of involvement in Rotaract.

As a student leader, he became the charter president of his university’s Rotaract club and participated in international cultural exchanges with groups in Japan and Côte d’Ivoire. During that period, he also organised educational support programmes for children with disabilities through community initiatives.

He joined the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi in 1994 and later held several leadership positions across Rotary structures, including work on the End Polio Now campaign and Nigeria’s PolioPlus initiatives before serving on the Rotary International Board and later becoming vice president.

One of his most recognised contributions came through the Safe Blood Africa project, launched in the early 2000s to improve access to safe blood supplies across hospitals in Nigeria and other African countries.

The programme established blood banks and introduced bloodmobiles that continue operating today.

Babalola also played a role in Rotary’s support for polio eradication efforts in Nigeria’s conflict-affected northeast through local monitoring and accountability measures that contributed to Africa being declared free of wild polio transmission in 2020.

He has frequently described community service as a personal learning experience.

According to Rotary records, an adult literacy initiative led by his club became a defining moment after meeting adults unable to read or write and hearing how literacy directly improved family health and daily life.

As Rotary International president, Babalola said he wants to strengthen members’ emotional connection to the organisation and reinforce a stronger sense of belonging.

He said members should view Rotary not only as a platform for service but also as a community they actively help sustain and grow.

Outside public service, Babalola enjoys golf, swimming, forest walks and photography, particularly capturing cloud formations. He has expressed interest in one day exhibiting his photography or publishing a collection.

His honours include the Africa Centennial Heroes Award, the Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World, the Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service.

Babalola lives in Port Harcourt with his wife, Precy, who is also a Rotary member. Together, they continue supporting The Rotary Foundation through long-term philanthropic initiatives.