Nigeria significantly lags behind countries such as India, South Africa, the United States, and the United Kingdom in medical research funding, raising serious concerns about its capacity to generate homegrown solutions for pressing public health challenges.
This lack of sustained national attention and investment was highlighted by Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) Foundation Board of Trustees. Speaking at an NIMR media chat, Fashola noted that NIMR, established by an Act of Parliament in 1977, does not receive the level of governmental and financial support enjoyed by its counterparts globally. He used common examples, such as the invention of eyeglasses and the discovery of penicillin, to underscore the transformative power of research, challenging Nigerians to envision a historic breakthrough like the cure for cancer originating within the nation.
To address the funding deficit, the NIMR Foundation has proactively mobilised resources. Its four-year impact report (2021–2025) disclosed that it successfully secured N502 million through donations and seed funding from NIMR. Of this sum, N295.9 million has been disbursed for research programmes and operations. Furthermore, strategic investments managed under a SEC-regulated trust fund yielded a net income of N148.9 million.
A core focus of the Foundation is capacity building and funding mobilisation. Its Grantsmanship and Mentorship Training Programme (GMTP) has equipped 120 early-career researchers with the skills necessary to secure grants and produce scientific papers. These GMTP Fellows have collectively secured N590.9 million in new research grants and N197.3 million in travel awards, resulting in the production of 242 scientific papers.
These figures illustrate a compelling return on social investment: for every N1 invested in training and mentorship, Fellows generated N2 in external research grants—a 200 per cent return.
Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa, Director General of NIMR, explained that the institute’s primary constraints include gaps in human capital, sustained research funding, and long-term capacity development. He stressed that the NIMR Foundation was established specifically to bridge these gaps and mobilise resources beyond government provision.
Additionally, veteran broadcaster Chief Moji Makanjuola, a Trustee, emphasised the critical role of the media as a bridge between science and society, urging journalists to translate technical research into actionable insights for the public and policymakers.
Moving forward, the NIMR Foundation plans to double the number of researchers trained annually through the GMTP, launch postdoctoral and PhD awards, and establish a dedicated endowment fund for sustainable financing. While Nigeria is taking deliberate steps, officials appealed to the government, philanthropists, and corporate Nigeria to help close the funding gap to ensure future breakthroughs are homegrown.
