By Jumoke Olaitan

The Governing Council of the National Mathematical Centre (NMC), Abuja, has appointed Prof. Benjamin Oyelami as the centre’s eighth Director/Chief Executive.

‎This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday by Dr Onyekachi Njoku, Controller, Information and Public Relations, NMC.

‎Njoku said the appointment followed an assessment and interview process by the council.

He added that Oyelami, a Professor of Mathematics specialising in Mathematical Modelling, had over three decades of experience in teaching, research and academic management.

‎He said Oyelami obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Jos in 1988, graduating with a Second Class Upper Division.
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According to him, Oyelami proceeded to the University of Ibadan, where he obtained a master’s degree in 1991, before earning a PhD in Mathematics from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, in 1999.

‎Njoku said Oyelami’s doctoral thesis was the first PhD work in Africa specialising in Impulsive Systems.

‎He added that the professor also co-developed the B-Transform Method.

‎“Oyelami joined the service of ATBU in 1991, where he rose through the ranks and later undertook a sabbatical at the National Mathematical Centre in 2002 before joining the centre fully in 2004,” Njoku said.

‎He said the new NMC chief executive had served in various capacities, including Coordinator of the Mathematics Programme,

Theoretical Physics Programme and Academic Planning, as well as Deputy Director/Chief Executive of the centre.

‎Njoku said Oyelami also served as Head of the Department of Mathematics and Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences at Plateau State University, Bokkos.

‎He said Oyelami had also served on various Senate committees and academic boards at ATBU, Plateau State University and NMC.

‎According to him, Oyelami was appointed Acting Director/Chief Executive of NMC in February.
‎Njoku described Oyelami as a prolific writer and author, whose works had been published in learned and peer-reviewed journals and textbooks.

‎He said the professor had also participated in several international conferences as an invited speaker and led Nigerian teams to international Mathematical Olympiad competitions.

‎“Oyelami is bringing 35 years of academic, managerial and administrative experience to the leadership of the National Mathematical Centre,” he said.

‎Njoku added that Oyelami was a member and fellow of several professional bodies, including the American Mathematical Society, Nigeria Mathematical Society and Mathematical Sciences Association of Nigeria.

He said Oyelami was also a Fellow of the African Scientific Institute, Oakland, California; a member of the Institute of Management Consultants, Nigeria; and a Certified Management Consultant. ‎(NAN) www.nannews.ng
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Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi
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Nigeria has called for a more equitable global pandemic preparedness system, urging increased financing, technology transfer and stronger manufacturing capacity in Africa to enable developing countries to respond effectively to future health emergencies.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, made the call while delivering Nigeria’s national statement on behalf of President Bola Tinubu at a high-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

Mr Salako said effective pandemic preparedness must begin with strong public health systems capable of preventing, detecting and responding to health threats before they become emergencies.

“Prevention is preparedness and the strength of everyday public health systems determines how effectively nations detect threats early, respond rapidly, and maintain essential services during crises,” he said.

He said Nigeria was strengthening its legal and institutional frameworks, expanding digital disease surveillance, institutionalising the 7-1-7 approach, enhancing genomic sequencing capacity and improving multi-hazard preparedness.

The 7-1-7 approach requires countries to aim to detect a suspected public health threat within seven days, notify the relevant authorities within one day and complete the initial response within seven days.

Greater equity

Mr Salako said equity must remain central to the global PPPR agenda, particularly in ensuring that countries that provide access to pathogens receive fair and timely benefits from the development of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics.

He called for sustainable and rapidly accessible financing for low- and middle-income countries, alongside technology transfer and stronger domestic manufacturing capacity, particularly in Africa.

Nigeria’s priorities, he said, include stronger national ownership, governance and legal preparedness; prevention-focused health systems; integrated and resilient One Health systems; equitable access to financing and African manufacturing; and greater regional and global solidarity and accountability.

“National ownership and global solidarity must advance together,” he said.

Mr Salako said Nigeria was also advancing the One Health approach, strengthening antimicrobial resistance (AMR) governance and infection prevention and control programmes, and expanding emergency workforce capacity at national and sub-national levels.

The country’s public health laboratory network now covers all 36 states, while Public Health Emergency Operations Centres support responses to outbreaks including Lassa fever, cholera, diphtheria and meningitis, he said.

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Nigeria’s Joint External Evaluation score also improved from 39 per cent in 2017 to 54 per cent in 2023.

In addition, the World Bank’s $250 million Health Security Programme is supporting health security capacity at federal and state levels under a One Health approach, Mr Salako said.

Nigeria to host global AMR meeting

Mr Salako said Nigeria also wanted antimicrobial resistance to remain firmly embedded in the global pandemic preparedness agenda, describing it as “both a current public health threat and a multiplier of pandemic risks”.

Against this background, he announced that Nigeria would host the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in December 2026.

The conference will be the first edition to be held in Africa and will provide an opportunity to accelerate measurable One Health action and advance the priorities of low- and middle-income countries, he said.

Mr Salako also stressed the importance of involving communities in pandemic preparedness, saying public trust could not be built only after an outbreak had begun.

He called for sustained investment in risk communication and community engagement, social listening, community hygiene and infodemic management between emergencies.

He said Nigeria remained committed to strengthening national and regional capacity to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats, while supporting a global pandemic preparedness framework that is equitable, sustainable and accountable.