Health experts and policymakers have converged on Abuja for a three-day national conference with the theme “Exploring Excellence in Ethical Conduct, Leadership for Research Integrity Through Empowerment” (EXCEL-RITE).
This is aimed at charting a new course to drive innovation and set a new standard for ethical research in the country.
The conference, organized by the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) in collaboration with the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), highlighted urgent reforms needed to strengthen the research landscape.
Declaring the event open, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako stressed the need for stronger partnerships to transform the health sector.
Dr Salako, represented by his Special Advisor on Research and Innovation, Dr Lolade Adeyemi, reiterated the government’s commitment to quality healthcare and sustainable progress.
“We are committed to enhancing quality healthcare and championing sustainable innovation. Collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and health professionals is key to advancing Nigeria’s health outcomes,” he said.
Stressing the critical importance of funding, Board Member of IHVN, Dr Aba Sagoe, noted that it was necessary to meet the strong appetite for research, especially for universities.
“There’s a huge appetite for research in Nigeria, but institutional support and funding are missing,” she noted.
Similarly, IHVN Chief Operating Officer Dr. Charles Olalekan Mensah explained that the EXCEL-RITE program is designed to build a culture of ethical practice and cross-disciplinary teamwork for real scientific impact.
Speaking on Nigeria’s ethical journey, Chairman of the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC), Prof. Richard Adegbola, recalled the early struggles to establish ethical research oversight, referencing the controversial 1996 clinical trial in Kano as a turning point.
He hailed recent gains such as the National Health Act of 2014 but warned that gaps in regulatory frameworks, funding, and public awareness persist.
Prof. Adegbola also introduced eProtect, a digital platform for ethical review processes, and called for the adoption of blockchain technology to secure research data.
“Nigeria’s research future is bright, if we do it together, do it well, and do it right,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the future of scientific progress depends on the ability to turn research into tangible products that are beneficial to lives and drive economic growth.
“From bench to bedside, farm to fork, research must translate into products that improve lives and drive economic growth,” she said.
Prof. Adeyeye also warned that fragmented funding structures and poor collaboration slow down progress, and called for competence-driven partnerships to maximize research impact.
