The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria into a knowledge and innovation driven economy with the unveiling of the Nigeria Genomic City, a landmark initiative aimed at harnessing the country’s vast genomic resources to advance scientific research, improve healthcare, strengthen food security and accelerate inclusive economic growth.
Speaking at a high level stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said Nigeria must invest decisively in research, science and innovation to fully harness its growing population.
“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,” the minister said.
Alausa described the Nigeria Genomic City as a strategic national investment that will position Nigeria as a leading hub for genomics, biotechnology and precision medicine while laying the foundation for long term scientific and economic development.
He explained that the initiative, conceived more than 20 months ago, was deliberately designed as a multi agency and multi ministerial project because of its national importance.
According to him, although the concept originated while he served as Minister of State for Health and continued after he became Minister of Education, he resisted efforts to place it under a single ministry, insisting that it should remain a national project driven through broad collaboration.
In a statement by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ikharo Attah, Alausa said the project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of moving Nigeria from a resource-based economy to one powered by knowledge, research, technology and innovation.
He noted that while advanced economies have built trillion dollar industries around biotechnology and genomics, Nigeria has yet to fully utilise its rich genomic resources. He also warned against unequal international data sharing arrangements that allow African genomic data to generate significant value abroad with limited benefits to the continent.
The minister stressed the need for deliberate investments to protect Nigeria’s scientific resources, strengthen data sovereignty and attract mutually beneficial global partnerships.
He further disclosed that the Federal Government is finalising the establishment of the National Research and Innovation Development Fund, expected to mobilise nearly 500 million dollars annually to support research and innovation nationwide.
Alausa also announced that the University of Abuja will host the Nigeria Genomic City, while the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the National Board for Technology Incubation and other strategic partners will provide technological and innovation support. He said the Federal Ministry of Education will coordinate implementation and facilitate collaboration among participating institutions.
Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, described the initiative as a unique opportunity for Nigeria to emerge as a global leader in scientific innovation. She said the country’s large population, expanding research capacity and growing pool of technical experts provide a solid foundation for the project’s success.
Presenting the technical framework, the Pioneer Director of the Centre for Genomic and Precision Medicine at the University of Ibadan, Professor Mayowa Ojo Owolabi, described the Nigeria Genomic City as a transformative investment that will reshape healthcare, agriculture, biotechnology and economic development.
He said the project will establish a national platform built on genomic, biological and health data to drive the discovery, development and commercialisation of innovative solutions for disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cures. It will also improve crop and livestock production, strengthen food security and support inclusive economic growth.
According to Owolabi, Africa possesses the world’s richest genetic diversity, placing Nigeria in a strong position to become a global hub for genomics, precision medicine and biotechnology. He added that the initiative will protect the nation’s genomic resources through data sovereignty and intellectual property safeguards while integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and bioinformatics.
He said the project will also develop a world class scientific workforce, attract investment, strengthen collaboration with Nigerian researchers in the diaspora and position the country as an exporter of scientific discoveries and biotechnology innovations.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment, Alausa assured stakeholders that the Ministry of Education would continue to provide leadership and coordination for the successful implementation of the Nigeria Genomic City through sustained collaboration among government, academia, industry, development partners and the private sector.
