Nigerian engineer, business leader, and dedicated Rotarian Olayinka Hakeem Babalola will lead Rotary International in 2026–27.
The President-elect of Rotary International for 2025–26 is Olayinka Hakeem Babalola, a member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi in Rivers State, Nigeria. He brings to the role more than three decades of professional leadership experience, strong ethical grounding, and a lifelong commitment to service.
Babalola earned a university degree in engineering in 1988 and worked for 25 years in the oil and gas industry. He held senior leadership roles at Shell plc, delivering major projects across four continents. He is the founder of Riviera Technical Services Ltd., an oil and gas infrastructure delivery company, and Lead and Change Consulting, an executive coaching and organizational performance advisory firm.
His professional affiliations include 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 his birth city of Ibadan, contributing to economic and social policy discussions.
A Rotaractor for 10 years, Babalola has been a member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi since 1994. He served as a district governor in 2011–12, as a member of the RI Board of Directors from 2018–20, and as Rotary International vice president in 2019–20.
He has played a significant role in polio eradication efforts, serving on the End Polio Now Countdown to History Campaign Committee (2017–23, vice chair 2017–20) and as a long-standing member and adviser of the Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee.
Babalola is a major supporter of The Rotary Foundation, contributing through a named endowment and as a member of the Arch Klumph Society. He also volunteers as a trustee of ShelterBox UK. His recognitions include the Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World, the RI Service Above Self Award, and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service.
He lives in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, with his wife, Preba.
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