WFME Announces Professor Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa as President-Elect

The World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) is delighted to announce that Professor Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa of the Association of Medical Schools in Africa (AMSA)* has been selected as the President-Elect. This decision was confirmed during WFME’s annual in-person Executive Council Meeting, held this year in Lagos, Nigeria, from 24–25 March. Professor Olapade-Olaopa will formally assume the presidency on 1 January 2027, following the completion of the four-year term of current WFME President, Professor Ricardo León Bórquez, on 31 December 2026.

A distinguished leader in medical education and a long-standing contributor to WFME’s Executive Council, Professor Olapade-Olaopa brings deep expertise and an important global perspective. His appointment reflects the Council’s confidence in his ability to build on WFME’s achievements and further strengthen the quality of medical training worldwide.

“We welcome Professor Olapade-Olaopa and look forward to the leadership, insight, and energy he will bring to WFME,” Professor León Bórquez stated. “His dedication to advancing medical education aligns strongly with WFME’s mission to promote the highest standards in the training of future physicians.”

“I am honoured by the trust placed in me by the WFME Executive Council,” Professor Olapade-Olaopa said. “I am committed to working collaboratively with colleagues across all regions to strengthen medical education systems, support innovation, and ensure that future physicians are equipped to meet the evolving health needs of their communities.”

WFME extends its appreciation to President Professor León Bórquez for his service and leadership throughout his term and looks ahead to a smooth transition as the organisation continues its work to support quality medical education around the world.

About Professor Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa

Professor Olapade-Olaopa MBBS, MD, FMed.Ed., DUrol., FRCS, FWACS, ACIArb, FAS, FNAMed, FAMedS is an alumnus of the University of Ibadan, where he has built a distinguished career spanning urology, molecular biology, medical education, and health systems research.

He has been a pivotal figure in national and international health initiatives. Notably, he directed the development of the first homegrown, competency-based undergraduate medical and dental curricula in Sub-Saharan Africa (the 2010 University of Ibadan MBBS and BDS curricula). This framework replaced a 62-year-old colonial-era curriculum and now serves as the template for medical education across Nigeria, several African nations, and parts of Asia. Furthermore, his pedagogical and assessment principles formed the basis of the 2023 Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) implemented by the National Universities Commission (NUC) for all academic disciplines in Nigeria.

As the 11th Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, he led the institution to a 3rd-place ranking among medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. His leadership extends globally as the immediate past President of the Association of Medical Schools in Africa and as an advisor on health-professions education and systems development to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the governments of the United States, Finland, and Indonesia. He serves on the Academic Board of the Dar es Salaam University (Somalia) and is a former council member of the National Open University of Nigeria and the West African College of Surgeons. He is also the Acting Chairman of the Thomas-Bassir Biomedical Foundation (Nigeria), the country’s oldest independent biomedical research organisation.

Professor Olapade-Olaopa’s research has yielded one patent, numerous international awards, over 150 scientific publications, and more than 200 invited presentations. Significant contributions include the first anatomy textbook for beginners in the Yoruba language (Eya ara fun alakobere) and the WHO’s Manual of Emergency and Essential Surgical Care in Sub-Saharan Africa. His contributions to innovation and science earned him election as a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science and a Foundation Fellow of both the Academy of Medicine and the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Outside of his professional life, Professor Olapade-Olaopa is a dedicated proponent of Yoruba culture and tradition. He is an avid reader of English and Yoruba classics, a music enthusiast, and an active amateur golfer.

*AMSA

The Association of Medical Schools in Africa (AMSA) is the regional association representing the WHO Africa Region on the WFME Executive Council. Conceived in 1961 at the University of Ibadan and formally inaugurated in Kampala in 1963, AMSA serves as Africa’s leading voice in medical education. AMSA has facilitated networking and exchange of ideas and experiences between its member schools through its meetings and bilateral/regional faculty and student exchanges.

Professor Emiola Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa –  Professor Ricardo León Bórquez