FG Reaffirms Commitment to Ethical Health Research ..... Says Digital transformation of ethics review process, a game changer

"Ethical oversight remains central to credible research, public trust and scientific integrity, particularly as Nigeria expands clinical trials, drug development and vaccine research." Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Nigeria's Minister of State Health 

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 protect research participants and align local studies with global best practices.

Speaking at the 2026 Face-to-Face Meeting and Training Workshop of the NHREC in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said ethical oversight remains central 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 structure with the establishment of NHREC in 2005 and its legal empowerment under the National Health Act of 2014. He noted that the Act mandated the committee to oversee ethical approvals, issue guidelines for research involving human subjects and monitor studies to safeguard the rights, safety and wellbeing of participants.

Commending the current NHREC under the chairmanship of Professor Richard Adegbola, the Minister said the committee has raised standards through timely review of research proposals and stronger regulatory oversight. He described the 2026 workshop as a befitting activity marking the second anniversary of the reconstituted NHREC, inaugurated in January 2024.

A key 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 it as a major milestone that will improve efficiency, data management, cost-effectiveness, stakeholder engagement and performance tracking across the research landscape.

Dr. Salako called on researchers, institutions, sub-national ethics committees and international partners to fully utilise the e-portal to enhance transparency, improve research integrity and guarantee the welfare 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, for strengthening NHREC’s capacity. He highlighted the ongoing Trial Regulation and Clinical Ethics Optimization (TRACE) project as a critical initiative to improve the safety, rigour and credibility of clinical trials in Nigeria.

Reiterating the government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Dr. Salako said Nigeria will continue to encourage and fund local research in drug development, vaccines and disease epidemiology, stressing that such investments can only deliver maximum benefits in an ethically compliant research environment.

He urged NHREC members to intensify efforts toward building a fully ethical health research system capable of contributing meaningfully to national development and global health goals.

The Minister formally declared the 2026 NHREC Face-to-Face Meeting and Training Workshop open, expressing optimism that strengthening ethical governance will deepen public trust and enhance Nigeria’s standing in global health research.

This was contained in a statement signed by Alaba Balogun, Director, Information & Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Abuja.