Abuja — The Federal Government of Nigeria, working with global and local partners, has intensified efforts to strengthen translational research across Africa, emphasising that the continent must urgently shift from being a source of extracted data to a driver of scientific innovation, health solutions and economic growth.
The call was made by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate CON, at the SPARK Translational Research Boot Camp and Conference 2026, held Monday in Abuja. The event was jointly convened by the Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research & Development NIPRD; SPARK Global in Stanford University & the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain PVAC, a programme office of the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare.
Delivering the keynote address, Pate commended the organisers for sustaining months of coordination to bring the programme to Africa despite resource constraints, describing the gathering as a timely intervention amid overlapping global crises.
“We are living through an era of pandemics, economic shocks, technological disruption and demographic transitions,” he said. “At such a moment, scientific inquiry and evidence-based policymaking are not optional, they are essential.”
Prof. Pate traced major global gains in life expectancy, disease control and medical innovation to the scientific method, but cautioned that such progress remains fragile. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains, economies and governance systems, with lasting implications for development worldwide.
Within Africa, the Coordinating Minister identified rapid population growth, an epidemiological transition from infectious to non-communicable diseases, and fast-paced technological change as urgent challenges requiring research-driven solutions.
He expressed concern that Africa still accounts for only a tiny fraction of global research funding and output, with most studies externally funded and designed outside the continent.
“These risks position Africa as a perpetual extraction hub for data and knowledge,” he stated; stressing the need for deliberate investments in local research ecosystems, including clinical trials, regulatory capacity and science governance.
The Coordinating Minister said Nigeria’s ongoing health sector reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are firmly anchored on scientific evidence, citing research governance, regulatory strengthening, healthcare delivery expansion, unlocking the healthcare value chain and health security as pillars requiring sustained scientific inquiry.
In his special remarks, Professor Kevin Grimes, Co-Director of SPARK at Stanford University and Vice President of SPARK Global, said the programme is designed to maximise Africa’s health and economic wellbeing by helping researchers translate high-quality science into products and services that benefit patients and society.
“African scientists are as capable as any in the world,” Grimes said. “What they often lack is structured support and access to industry expertise. That is the gap SPARK is designed to fill.”
He explained that the SPARK model, which pairs academic researchers with industry mentors, has successfully built innovative ecosystems in other regions and holds strong potential for Africa.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. Obi Adigwe, Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), a parastatal of the FMoSHW; said the conference was designed to build a strong bridge between science, policy and impact-driven innovation.
“No matter how brilliant you are, if policy does not understand the priority of what you are doing, you will not make an impact,” Adigwe said, stressing the importance of political will in advancing scientific progress.
He disclosed that the conference, which drew between 60 and 70 participants from across Africa, was the result of over 18 months of planning with Stanford University partners, describing it as a testament to commitment and collaboration.
Dr. Adigwe warned that science is facing increasing global pressure from funding cuts, misinformation and declining political commitment, urging researchers to remain resilient and engaged with societal challenges.
“It is why translational research is so important,” he said. “It ensures that scientific intellect delivers real solutions that change lives.”
He praised Nigeria’s current leadership for prioritising science and research, describing Professor Pate as a global advocate for evidence-informed policymaking.
In a symbolic gesture, participants endorsed the Coordinating Minister as a Global Ambassador for Translational Research.
Also speaking, Dr. Abdul Mukhtar, National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), underscored the central role of research and development (R&D) in Nigeria’s healthcare reform agenda.
Established in 2023 by President Bola Tinubu GCFR, PVAC is a key pillar of the reform strategy outlined by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, with a mandate to unlock Nigeria’s healthcare value chain, boost local production, create quality jobs and mobilise sustainable financing.
“When we talk about the healthcare value chain, the foundation is research and development,” Dr. Mukhtar said. “You cannot move into manufacturing, discovery, marketing or bedside care without strong R&D.”
He lamented that Africa accounts for only about two per cent of global R&D spending, stressing the need to not only increase research output but also link science to finance and commercialisation.
“Many groundbreaking studies never move beyond academic journals,” he said. “Science and medicine ultimately exist to save lives. That is the essence of what we do.”
The PVAC Coordinator said the Presidential Initiative has adopted an ecosystem approach, simultaneously strengthening clinical trials, human capital development, supply chains and market access.
“Our ambition is clear: to make Nigeria the hub for local manufacturing of essential medicines for Africa. But to achieve this, we must also lead in basic science research and development,” Dr. Mukhtar added.
Translational research, he said, is central to the initiative’s work, emphasising that research must address Africa’s disease burden and unmet needs.
“If our research does not address our realities, then we have missed the point,” he said.
Stakeholders at the conference, including policymakers, researchers, industry players and development partners, agreed that strengthening translational research and science communication is critical to counter anti-science narratives and ensure research findings translate into measurable health and economic gains.
The boot camp was formally declared open with renewed commitment from the Federal Government and partners to support research, innovation and clinical trials as part of a broader strategy to position Nigeria and Africa as active contributors to global scientific advancement.
Signed
Alaba Balogun
Director, Information & Public Relations
3 February 2026
