
09/08/2025
Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu Named UBTH’s First Female CMD, Set to Revolutionize Healthcare
In a landmark move to advance Nigeria’s healthcare sector, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Professor Idia Nibukun Ize-Iyamu as the new Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), effective August 18, 2025. This historic appointment marks Prof. Ize-Iyamu as the first female CMD in UBTH’s history, underscoring the administration’s commitment to merit-based leadership and transformative healthcare delivery.
Prof. Ize-Iyamu, a globally trained craniofacial orthodontist, brings an impressive 27-year tenure at UBTH, having risen from Junior Registrar in 1997 to Honorary Consultant in 2005. As the current Dean of the School of Dentistry at the University of Benin, she has driven infrastructure upgrades, secured public-private partnerships, and mentored countless doctors now thriving globally. With advanced training from Oxford University Teaching Hospital and the University of Washington, Seattle, her expertise and over 55 scholarly publications position her to elevate UBTH to international standards.
Her vision prioritizes patient-centered care, technological innovation, and expanded specialist services, aiming to make UBTH a model teaching hospital in Nigeria. The appointment, announced on August 8, 2025, follows the successful tenure of outgoing CMD, Professor Darlington Obaseki. It aligns with broader federal efforts, as President Tinubu also appointed five other CMDs for federal hospitals nationwide.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was praised for fostering a supportive environment for healthcare reform, complementing the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The Honourable Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, hailed the appointment as a strategic step toward excellence in healthcare delivery.
With Prof. Ize-Iyamu’s leadership, UBTH is poised to become a beacon of medical excellence, blending cutting-edge innovation with compassionate care to serve Edo State and beyond.