President Tinubu Appoints First Female NACA DG

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has a new director general, Dr. Temitope Ilori, who is the first woman to assume the role.

The appointment approved by President Bola Tinubu was contained in a statement issued by the head of public relations and protocol of NACA, Toyin Aderibigbe, in a press statement released on Thursday.

Ilori officially assumed her role on February 22, 2024, for an initial term of four years, succeeding Dr. Gambo Aliyu, who served as DG from June 2019 until February 2024.

Prior to her appointment, Dr. Ilori served as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Community Medicine at the University of Ibadan and as a Consultant Family Physician in the Department of Family Medicine at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

Ilori’s academic background is robust, having obtained her MBBS degree from the University of Ibadan and completing her residency training at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

She distinguished herself as the best graduating Fellow of the Faculty of Family Medicine, West African College of Physicians, in April 2012, earning the prestigious A.O. Senbanjo Prize.

Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Ibadan.

Her scholarly pursuits extend further as she pursues her PhD at the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, sponsored by the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa.

Ilori’s research interests span across Primary Care, Immunization, Public Health Nutrition, Non-Communicable Diseases, and Women’s and Child’s Health.

She has contributed significantly to the scientific community with over 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Furthermore, Ilori has been actively involved in policy formulation and strategic development. She served as the Commissioner for Health in Osun State, Nigeria, from 2011 to 2014, and as the Chairperson of the Osun State Agency on Control of HIV/AIDS and the Osun State Technical Working Group on Immunization.

Ilori’s appointment is expected to bring renewed vigor and expertise to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, as she leads NACA in its crucial mission to control and mitigate the impact of the disease nationwide.