Nigeria must urgently build stronger capacity to turn scientific research into practical healthcare solutions, Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said on Monday in Abuja.
He made the call while declaring open the 2026 SPARK Africa Translational Research Bootcamp and Scientific Conference, an initiative designed to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and real-world healthcare impact across Africa.
“Science and scientific inquiry are fundamental to the advancement of human societies. The gains humanity has made over centuries from improved life expectancy to medical breakthroughs have come through research and the application of the scientific method,” Pate said.
The minister noted that the world is facing a “poly-crisis” of overlapping health, economic, technological, and political shocks, many intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“COVID-19 was a once-in-a-century pandemic that reshaped economies, politics, supply chains and healthcare systems. We are still living with its aftershocks,” he said.
Pate explained that Nigeria and Africa are undergoing multiple transitions, including demographic shifts, changing disease patterns, rapid technological advances, labour market evolution, and political transformation.
He observed that infectious diseases once dominated Africa’s health burden, but today non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancers, and neurological conditions account for a growing share of deaths.
Africa’s Limited Research Output
Pate lamented Africa’s small contribution to global research output despite its population of over 1.4 billion people.
“Africa accounts for a very small share of global scientific inquiry and research funding. Unless we change this trajectory, we risk continuing a long history of extraction of people, resources, data and knowledge,” he warned.
He commended Stanford University and Nigerian research institutions for driving the SPARK Africa initiative, describing it as a critical platform for strengthening local capacity in translational research and clinical trials.
The minister outlined key pillars of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health sector reform agenda. These include governance reforms, expansion of primary healthcare, unlocking the healthcare value chain, and strengthening health security through regional and global collaboration.
“You cannot pray or hope your way through healthcare development. It requires discipline, scientific inquiry and evidence-based policymaking,” Pate said, assuring participants of government’s commitment to building a strong ecosystem for research, innovation, and clinical trials.
Stakeholder Reactions
In his welcome address, Dr. Obi Peter Adigwe, Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), warned that science faces unprecedented global threats, including funding cuts, misinformation, and disinformation campaigns.
“Never in history has science been under this level of assault. Yet science exists to solve problems, and translational research ensures that society benefits directly from scientific knowledge,” Adigwe said.
He praised Nigeria’s hosting of the conference as strategic and proposed Pate as a “Global Ambassador for Translational Research,” a motion that received unanimous support.
Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), said Africa’s healthcare transformation depends on converting research into real-world solutions that save lives, create jobs, and drive growth.
Mukhtar described research and development as the foundation of sustainable healthcare manufacturing and innovation, noting that PVAC, established by President Tinubu, is central to Nigeria’s strategy to expand local production of essential healthcare products and reduce import dependence.
Rate, Like 👍, Comment 💬, Share this article, Follow us on our social media handles, and Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
