Prof Osaretin Odia

Professor Osaretin James Odia is a distinguished Nigerian cardiologist, physician, and academic whose career has helped shape the study and clinical management of cardiovascular disease in West Africa.

A specialist in cardiology and internal medicine, he is widely recognised for advancing research into non-communicable diseases — particularly hypertension and heart disease — across sub-Saharan Africa.

He has held senior academic leadership positions at two Nigerian universities. As Provost of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), and earlier as Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences at Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State. In these roles, he combined institutional administration with a sustained commitment to medical education and training.

As a Consultant Cardiologist at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Professor Odia has shaped clinical cardiology practice in the region while mentoring successive generations of doctors, specialists, and researchers.

His scholarship comprises numerous peer-reviewed publications, with a particular emphasis on internal medicine, hypertension, and heart disease in Nigerian and broader sub-Saharan African populations.

Beyond the university, he has long been a leading figure in the Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF), contributing to national advocacy, research, and public-health efforts against cardiovascular disease. He is the current President of the Nigerian Heart Foundation.

He is husband to Dr Mrs Elizabeth Odia and together they have five children and 12 grandchildren.