GPHU Launches “Faculty for the Future” to Advance Africa’s Health Agenda 2063
The Global Public Health University (GPHU), an initiative of the LiveWell Initiative (LWI), has taken a significant step toward shaping Africa’s health future with the formal launch of its “Faculty for the Future”, (FFF), a visionary platform designed to align health education and innovation with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The inauguration ceremony, held at the Radisson Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, brought together scholars, health professionals, futurists, faith leaders, policymakers, CEOs of HMOs, Pharmacy and Nursing Students, and others in a powerful convergence of foresight, science, and civic inspiration.
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In his goodwill message, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, renowned clergyman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, urged leaders and citizens alike to adopt intentional thinking and long-term planning. Citing countries like Canada that design infrastructure and policy 100 years ahead, the founder of Trinity House Church challenged African leadership to move beyond short-termism, declaring, “The worst thing a person can do is to be unprepared for the future.”
In her keynote address, Professor Claire Nelson, visiting professor and advisor at GPHU, challenged Africa to rethink healthcare as a system of systems, arguing that development must be centred on people, culture, and community, not merely modelled after foreign frameworks.
“With Africa’s youthful population, 70 per cent under the age of 30, she emphasised the urgency of preparing for a health future that is inclusive, digital, and designed for resilience. We have to stop thinking that the future is something happening to us. It’s something we must co-create,” she stated.
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Professor Nelson, a top 50 Forbes Futurist and White House Champion of MIPAD, cautioned that while technological advances such as artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, personalised medicine, and blockchain offer enormous potential, they also pose ethical, social, and regulatory risks. She stressed the need for African nations to develop strong legal and institutional safeguards to avoid future exploitation and dependency.
“We must decide what kind of future we want and what we are willing to do to get there,” she said, highlighting the importance of strategic foresight and futures literacy in shaping public health systems.
Drawing from her research on “Smart Futures,” Nelson introduced five critical questions that institutions must ask when designing for the future: Is it sustainable? Is it meaningful? Is it accessible? Is it relevant? And is it transformational?
She called for an integrated approach that sees healthcare not merely as a clinical issue but as part of a broader ecological, economic, and cultural ecosystem. “Healthcare is not just about medicine,” she said. “It’s about how we live, what we eat, how we work, and whether we are spiritually and emotionally well.”
Professor Nelson also proposed cooperative health financing models rooted in local institutions, particularly faith communities. She suggested that mega-churches partner with microfinance bodies to create community health cooperatives, envisioning a future where religious organisations take the lead in delivering universal health coverage.
She further emphasised the untapped potential of traditional African medicine, urging universities and research institutions to validate and integrate indigenous knowledge systems into mainstream health care. She envisioned GPHU as a hub for research, collaboration, and innovation — a space where students and faculty could explore decentralised care models, tech-enabled diagnostics, and forward-thinking curricula.
Responding to the keynote, participants acknowledged the urgency of reform. One health leader emphasised that personalised medicine is already reshaping care globally, and that cancers and other diseases should no longer be treated generically. Others reinforced the importance of grassroots medicine and community-based insurance schemes as critical to expanding healthcare access across Nigeria and the continent.
Earlier in the event, Dr. Bisi Bright, chief executive officer of LiveWell Initiative and Convener of GPHU, described the launch of the Faculty for the Future as a defining moment in the university’s journey. She traced GPHU’s origins to the Global Health Mini-University — formerly hosted by George Washington University and USAID — which inspired LWI to develop a homegrown alternative after that project ended.
“We have evolved from an academy into a full university,” she said. “This faculty will drive forward our vision of future-proof education and public health leadership in Africa.”
Dr. Bright announced plans to unveil a metaverse learning platform to expand global access and interactivity, especially for remote learners. She revealed that Mrs Bukola Ogunsakin, one of GPHU’s directors and a cyber-lawyer, will collaborate with Professor Nelson to build the virtual campus and support the accreditation process for the new faculty.
She further noted that GPHU has already trained postgraduate diploma candidates and international students and continues to expand its influence through specialised programmes such as the Extraordinary Women Advancing Healthcare Awards.
The high point of the ceremony was the symbolic dedication of the Faculty for the Future, jointly performed by Hon. John Omotola Soares, who chaired the event, along with Pastor Ighodalo, Dr. Bright, Professor Nelson, and other GPHU leaders.
In her vote of thanks, Tosin Aadeosun, operations manager, LWI, praised the inauguration for reigniting a shared vision to reimagine the healthcare system, empower the next generation, and place Africa at the heart of global health innovation.
Other dignitaries at the event include Dr Pamela Ajayi, President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Prof Akin Osibogun, consultant public health physician, and former Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, among others