In a groundbreaking achievement for Nigerian science and education, Professor Francisca Onaolapo Oladipo, who is the Vice-Chancellor of Thomas Adewumi University (TAU), Oko-Irese, Kwara State and the Yeye Atunluse of Oko-Irese Kingdom, has been elected to serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the Committee on Data of the International Science Council (CODATA) for a two-year term (2025 to 2027).
Professor Francisca Oladipo has under her belt, a special achievement, she is the first Nigerian to get elected as a member of Executive Committee of CODATA.
‘The election, which took place during the 34th CODATA General Assembly held between 17th and 18th October 2025, in Brisbane, Australia, marks a historic milestone as Professor Oladipo becomes the first Nigerian to get elected to serve as a member of this prestigious global data governance body in the organization’s 59-year history.
CODATA, established in 1966 under the International Science Council, represents the pinnacle of global data science governance. The organization’s Executive Committee comprises fewer than 15 members worldwide, selected from among thousands of data scientists across all continents to guide international data policy, Open Science initiatives, and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles that govern scientific research globally. Professor Oladipo will serve alongside an exceptionally distinguished group of global leaders including:
- Mercè Crosas (Spain), President of CODATA and Head of Computational Social Sciences at Barcelona Supercomputing Centre
- Vice-Presidents from South Africa and New Zealand, representing their respective scientific communities
- Executive Committee members representing the scientific elite from Japan, Taiwan, Finland, United Kingdom, Australia, Botswana, and other nations
This elite committee shapes global data policy affecting billions of dollars in research funding, millions of scientists worldwide, and critical initiatives addressing humanity’s greatest challenges from pandemic response to climate action, from artificial intelligence ethics to sustainable development’ a statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com said on Sunday.
The statement added that Professor Oladipo’s election follows her internationally recognized leadership of the Virus Outbreak Data Africa Network (VODAN-Africa), where she pioneered the world’s first successful implementation of machine-actionable FAIR Data Points during the COVID-19 pandemic across 88 health facilities in eight African countries. This groundbreaking work, recognized in UNESCO’s 2021 Engineering Report and awarded ‘Most Inspiring Initiative’ at Leiden Science Week 2022, demonstrated that Africa can lead not just participate in global scientific innovation.
‘This election represents not just personal achievement, but a paradigm shift in global data governance’ the statement quoted Professor Oladipo as saying after receiving official notification from CODATA Executive Director Simon Hodson.
‘For too long, Africa has been a source of data rather than a shaper of data policy. My presence on this Committee ensures that African perspectives, challenges, and innovations directly inform the standards and practices that govern global science’ the statement added.
Professor Oladipo brings to CODATA an impressive portfolio of international recognition, research excellence and global impact-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
