Dr. Yakubu is a global health researcher whose work focuses on health system governance, interactions between health and other sectors, culturally grounded approaches to care, and strengthening equitable health partnerships across diverse contexts. He trained as a family physician in Nigeria and holds an MPhil in Family Medicine from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and a PhD from the University of New South Wales, Australia.

His doctoral research examined governance systems for skilled health worker migration, exploring how human rights norms can enable more equitable global workforce distribution. This work drew on social constructivism, social network science and critical realist approaches to understand the interplay of global norms, national policies and local realities.

Dr Yakubu is currently a conjoint lecturer at the School of Population Health, UNSW, and a research fellow at The George Institute for Global Health. He works across the Guunu-Maana (Heal) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program and the Implementation Research for Health Equity Program, and co-leads the Institute’s Ubuntu Initiative, which fosters equitable and culturally safe partnerships with African researchers and communities.

His research and advocacy centre on strengthening governance systems, valuing local and Indigenous knowledge, and promoting socially just approaches to global health and health workforce development.