Ultra-Modern Kesington Adebutu Research Centre Commissioned at UNILAG in Honour of 90th Birthday

The Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu Research Centre at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, was officially commissioned on Monday, October 20, 2025, in celebration of Sir Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu’s 90th birthday. The ultra-modern research centre was generously donated by Sir Adebutu, a distinguished businessman and philanthropist, as a lasting legacy to support cutting-edge medical research and improve health outcomes in Nigeria.

Sir Kesington Adebutu, popularly known as Baba Ijebu, was born on October 24, 1935, in Iperu Remo, Ogun State. He is renowned for his pioneering role in Nigeria’s lottery business as chairman of Premier Lotto Limited, a multi-billion-naira enterprise with diversified interests across agriculture, petroleum, hospitality, manufacturing, entertainment, and real estate. Beyond his business acumen, Sir Adebutu is celebrated for his generosity and contributions to education, healthcare, and community development across Nigeria, especially in Remoland and Lagos.

As a philanthropist, Adebutu has donated billions of naira towards various social causes, including a notable ₦4 billion gift to local governments in Remoland and his hometown during his 90th birthday celebrations. The new research centre at UNILAG’s College of Medicine is part of his commitment to advancing scientific research in communicable and non-communicable diseases through state-of-the-art facilities that attract scholars from around the world.

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The Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu Research Centre embodies his vision of empowering Nigerian researchers with modern infrastructure and promoting global competitiveness in health research. This facility, featuring seminar rooms and laboratories, is designed to give research trainees invaluable hands-on experience. The investment in this multi-billion-naira project is expected to have massive returns in public health improvements and further cement Nigeria’s place on the global scientific map.

Sir Adebutu’s life and work—as a businessman, community leader, and devoted philanthropist—continue to inspire many, and the commissioning of this centre marks a new milestone in his outstanding legacy.