Invest in home-grown vaccines, affordable genetic treatments -- Butali
Only 2% of genetic studies focus on Africans -- Paemka
Establish genomic research centres for Academy -- Ashiru
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| L-R: Professor Mayowa Owolabi, Academy Secretary, Academy of Medical Sciences; Professor Oladapo, Ashiru, Foundation President, Academy of Medical Sciences; Emeritus Professor Frank Osato Giwa-Osagie, Outgoing President, Academy of Medical Sciences; Professor Sunday Chinenye, Guest Speaker, Augustine Ohwovoriole Annual Memorial Lecture; Olor'ogun Dr Sonny Kuku, BoT Chairman, Academy of Medical Sciences; Professor Joseph Ahaneku,, Incoming President, Academy of Medical Sciences, at the Academy's Annual Scientific Conference/Annual Augustine Ohwovoriole Annual Memorial Lecture held in Lagos on Friday, 30th of October, 2026. |
By Admin
Nigeria and other African countries risk being left behind in the emerging revolution in genomic medicine unless governments urgently invest in biomedical research, strengthen local research infrastructure and empower scientists to develop solutions to diseases affecting their populations.
Researchers who raised concerns over this development said the continent's limited investment in genetic and genomic research was restricting its ability to understand disease patterns, develop affordable treatments and benefit from advances in precision medicine.
Speaking at the Academy of Medical Sciences' 2026 Annual Scientific Conference, themed “The Genetics and Genomics of Non-Communicable Diseases: Integrating Science into Clinical Care”, the experts warned that Africa's continued dependence on scientific discoveries made largely outside the continent could perpetuate inequalities in healthcare.
They said this could leave millions of Africans unable to access sophisticated treatments developed without sufficient consideration for their genetic diversity, disease burden and economic circumstances.
Invest in home-grown vaccines, affordable genetic treatments – Butali
Nigerian geneticist, Professor Azeez Butali, said sustained government investment in biomedical research could deliver enormous public health and economic benefits.
Butali, a Gilbert Lilly Endowed Professor of Diagnostic Sciences at the College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, United States, warned that Nigeria's continued dependence on conventional outbreak containment measures, without corresponding investment in vaccine research and development, could leave the country exposed to future infectious disease emergencies.
He made particular reference to the renewed Ebola threat, arguing that Nigeria must move beyond surveillance and border screening to invest in developing vaccines and treatments against emerging infectious diseases.
"We need to move beyond that. We must invest in biomedical research, develop vaccines where possible and prepare our populations to respond to future outbreaks. Ebola will not be the last infectious disease threat, just as COVID-19 will not be the last pandemic. Another pandemic will emerge at some point," he said.
Calling for greater public participation in research, Butali said Nigerians must recognise their role in identifying research priorities and participating in studies that could produce solutions to pressing health challenges.
"My message to Nigerians is very simple: let us become part of the research process. To my colleagues, I believe we must keep our research tools ready and continue doing the work required to discover, translate scientific findings and improve the lives of our people.
"We should not wait for government funding before pursuing knowledge and scientific discoveries. Funding processes can take time, so we must continue to seek knowledge, build collaborations with colleagues around the world and move our research forward. Ultimately, our people will be the beneficiaries," he said.
He challenged the government to provide sustained funding for biomedical research, stressing that scientific discoveries could lead to molecules that eventually become vaccines and medicines capable of preventing diseases or reducing their impact.
Only 2% of genetic studies focus on Africans – Paemka
Butali's call for greater investment in genomic research resonated with concerns raised by Professor Lily Paemka, Associate Professor of Human Genetics and Genomics at the University of Ghana and Deputy Director of the West African Genetic Medicine Centre.
Paemka warned that African populations remained grossly underrepresented in global genetic studies, limiting scientists' ability to identify disease-associated genes and develop interventions suited to the continent.
She argued that including African genomes in genetic studies should go beyond meeting diversity and inclusion targets, stressing that Africa's exceptional genetic diversity offered scientists an important opportunity to discover previously unidentified disease-associated genetic variations.
"The take-home message is that we need to include African genomes in genetic studies. The other take-home message is that when we do that, we find new variants that are predisposing Africans to genetic diseases, which is not shocking because, once again, we are the most genetically diverse population," she said.
According to her, identifying these genetic variations could improve understanding of why certain diseases occur more frequently or present more aggressively in African populations.
She maintained that a better understanding of genetic risks, combined with public awareness and participation in research, would position African populations to benefit from emerging advances in genomic and precision medicine.
Establish genomic research centres in Nigeria – Ashiru
For his part, the President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Professor Oladapo Ashiru, called on the Federal Government to establish dedicated genomic research centres, arguing that Nigeria had trained specialists capable of undertaking advanced genomic investigations but continued to depend heavily on collaborations with foreign institutions.
He said genomic research had transformed the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of several diseases, making it possible to identify genetic abnormalities and, in some cases, prevent their transmission to future generations.
Using sickle cell disease as an example, Ashiru explained how preimplantation genetic testing could help couples at risk of having children with the condition select embryos without the disease for transfer during IVF.
"We can have somebody who is a sickle cell carrier. We can make that woman produce eggs, fertilise with the donor sperm, and can now separate and identify the genetic compositions of those embryos and identify those embryos that are SS or AS or normal. We can transfer the normal embryo into the woman so she can now have a normal baby," he said.
Ashiru said the potential economic returns from genomic research provided another compelling reason for government investment, citing estimates that every dollar invested could generate about $140 in returns through improved health outcomes and other benefits.
Beyond genomic medicine, the Academy president stressed the need to translate scientific knowledge into public health benefits, warning that many Nigerians remained unaware of the influence of genetics, diet, lifestyle and environmental exposures on their health.
He also challenged the government to make greater use of expertise available within Nigeria's scientific and medical community, arguing that the country had specialists whose knowledge was recognised internationally.
According to him, stronger collaboration between government and the Academy of Medical Sciences could help shape evidence-based health and science policies, strengthen research capacity and improve healthcare delivery.
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