Health
FG unveils initiative to unlock DNA research, boost healthcare
Deborah Tolu-Kolawole
The Federal Government has unveiled plans to establish the Nigeria Genomic City, a landmark initiative aimed at transforming the country into a knowledge- and innovation-driven economy by harnessing its vast genomic resources to advance scientific research, improve healthcare, strengthen food security and accelerate economic growth.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the initiative during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, where he warned that Nigeria risks squandering its demographic advantage unless it makes deliberate investments in research, science and innovation, according to a statement issued on Thursday by his office.
“The biggest demographic dividend ever witnessed anywhere in the world could become a demographic calamity for us if we fail to act. We do not have a choice,” Alausa said.
He described the Nigeria Genomic City as a strategic national investment that would position Nigeria as a leading African hub for genomics, biotechnology and precision medicine while laying the foundation for long-term scientific and economic development.
According to the minister, the project was conceived more than 20 months ago and intentionally designed as a multi-agency and multi-ministerial initiative because of its national significance.
“This project is not about institutional ownership or individual interests. It belongs to Nigeria and must be driven through broad national collaboration. It is about creating a sustainable national asset that will benefit generations of Nigerians,” he said.
Alausa said the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration was committed to transitioning Nigeria from a resource-based economy to one driven by knowledge, research, technology and innovation, with the Nigeria Genomic City serving as one of the flagship projects to achieve that vision.
The minister lamented that despite Nigeria’s rich genomic diversity, the country had continued to underutilise one of the world’s most valuable scientific resources.
“Advanced economies have built trillion-dollar industries around biotechnology and genomics, while Africa’s genomic data continues to generate enormous value abroad with limited benefits returning to the continent. Nigeria must deliberately protect its scientific resources, strengthen data sovereignty and attract partnerships that deliver mutual benefits,” he said.
Alausa also disclosed that the Federal Government was finalising arrangements for the establishment of the National Research and Innovation Development Fund, expected to mobilise nearly 500 million dollars annually to support research and innovation nationwide.
He expressed optimism that, after approval by the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would assent to the enabling legislation to provide sustainable funding for scientific research.
The minister announced that the University of Abuja would host the Nigeria Genomic City, while the National Information Technology Development Agency, the National Board for Technology Incubation and other strategic partners would provide technological and innovation support. He added that the Federal Ministry of Education would coordinate implementation and facilitate collaboration among participating institutions.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the project as a unique opportunity for Nigeria to become a global leader in scientific innovation.
“Nigeria has the population, growing research capacity and technical expertise required to make this initiative a success. The Federal Ministry of Education will provide the necessary support to mobilise partnerships and institutional commitment needed to bring the project to reality,” she said.
Presenting the technical framework for the project, the Pioneer Director of the Centre for Genomic and Precision Medicine at the University of Ibadan, Prof. Mayowa Ojo Owolabi, described the Nigeria Genomic City as a transformative investment that would reshape healthcare, agriculture, biotechnology and economic development.
He said the initiative would establish a sustainable national platform built on genomic, biological and health data to drive discoveries, commercialise innovations and improve disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cures.
According to him, the project would also improve crop and livestock production, strengthen food security, attract investment, develop a world-class scientific workforce and position Nigeria as a global exporter of biotechnology innovations.
“Africa possesses the world’s richest genetic diversity, placing Nigeria in a unique position to become a global hub for genomics, precision medicine and biotechnology. The initiative will safeguard Nigeria’s genomic resources through robust data sovereignty and intellectual property protection while integrating artificial intelligence and bioinformatics,” Owolabi said.
He added that the project would deepen collaboration with Nigerian researchers in the diaspora and create opportunities for the commercialisation of locally developed scientific innovations.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment, Alausa assured stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Education would provide the leadership and coordination required to deliver the Nigeria Genomic City.
He expressed confidence that sustained collaboration among government institutions, academia, industry, development partners and the private sector would unlock Nigeria’s scientific potential, enhance its global competitiveness and secure long-term benefits for future generations.
The Nigeria Genomic City initiative comes at a time when countries across the world are making significant investments in genomics—the study of an organism’s complete set of DNA (genome)—to revolutionise healthcare, agriculture and economic development.
Genomics enables scientists to understand how genes influence diseases, identify individuals’ risks of developing certain illnesses, develop targeted medicines and vaccines, and advance precision medicine, where treatments are tailored to a person’s unique genetic makeup. The science is increasingly being used to combat diseases such as cancer, sickle cell disease, malaria, diabetes and other hereditary conditions while strengthening responses to emerging infectious disease outbreaks.
Beyond healthcare, genomics is transforming agriculture by helping researchers develop high-yield, drought-resistant and disease-resistant crop varieties, improve livestock breeding, enhance food security and build resilience against climate change. The biotechnology industry built around genomic discoveries has become a multi-trillion-dollar global sector, creating jobs, attracting investment and driving scientific innovation.
Africa possesses the world’s greatest human genetic diversity because modern humans originated on the continent. Yet Africans remain significantly underrepresented in global genomic research, meaning much of the scientific and commercial value generated from African genetic data has historically benefited institutions outside the continent. Experts argue that this imbalance has limited Africa’s ability to develop locally relevant medicines, diagnostics and biotechnology industries.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is regarded as one of the continent’s richest reservoirs of genetic diversity, giving it enormous potential to become a global leader in genomics, biotechnology and precision medicine.
The proposed Nigeria Genomic City is expected to serve as a national hub where universities, research institutes, teaching hospitals, technology companies and private investors collaborate to generate genomic data, develop new medicines and diagnostics, commercialise scientific discoveries and build a globally competitive biotechnology ecosystem.
The initiative also aligns with the Federal Government’s broader strategy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to diversify the economy through science, technology, research and innovation while reducing dependence on imported medical technologies and positioning Nigeria as a producer of high-value scientific knowledge rather than merely a consumer.
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