FG Reaffirms Commitment To Ethical Health Research, Hails Digital Ethics Review As Game Changer
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ethical standards in Nigeria’s health research ecosystem, pledging sustained support for the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) to safeguard research participants and align local studies with global best practices.
The Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, gave the assurance while speaking at the 2026 Face-to-Face Meeting and Training Workshop of the NHREC held in Abuja. He emphasized that ethical oversight remains fundamental to credible research, public trust and scientific integrity, particularly as Nigeria expands clinical trials, drug development and vaccine research.
Dr. Salako recalled that health research ethics in Nigeria gained formal recognition with the establishment of NHREC in 2005 and its legal backing under the National Health Act of 2014. He noted that the Act mandates the committee to oversee ethical approvals, issue guidelines for research involving human subjects and monitor studies to protect the rights, safety and wellbeing of research participants.
Commending the current NHREC under the chairmanship of Professor Richard Adegbola, the Minister said the committee has significantly raised standards through timely review of research proposals and strengthened regulatory oversight. He described the 2026 workshop as a fitting activity marking the second anniversary of the reconstituted NHREC, inaugurated in January 2024.
A major highlight of the Minister’s address was the digital transformation of the ethics review process. He praised NHREC for revamping its website and introducing an electronic ethics review portal, describing the initiative as a game changer that will enhance efficiency, improve data management, reduce costs, boost stakeholder engagement and strengthen performance tracking across Nigeria’s research landscape.
Dr. Salako urged researchers, institutions, sub-national ethics committees and international partners to fully utilise the e-portal to promote transparency, strengthen research integrity and ensure the protection of research participants nationwide.
He also acknowledged the support of international partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC), the World Health Organization’s African Vaccine Regulatory Forum (AVAREF), the Multi-Regional Clinical Trials (MRCT) Centre and GARNET partners.
He highlighted the Trial Regulation and Clinical Ethics Optimization (TRACE) project as a critical initiative aimed at improving the safety, rigour and credibility of clinical trials in Nigeria.
Reiterating the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Minister said Nigeria will continue to encourage and fund local research in drug development, vaccines and disease epidemiology.
He stressed that such investments can only yield maximum benefits within a robust and ethically compliant research environment.
Dr. Salako urged members of NHREC to intensify efforts toward building a fully ethical health research system capable of contributing meaningfully to national development and global health objectives.
He formally declared the 2026 NHREC Face-to-Face Meeting and Training Workshop open, expressing confidence that strengthened ethical governance will deepen public trust and enhance Nigeria’s profile in global health research.
