FG Unveils Nigeria Genomic City to Drive Research, Innovation Economy

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to establish the Nigeria Genomic City, a flagship initiative aimed at harnessing the country’s genomic resources to boost scientific research, improve healthcare, strengthen food security and position Nigeria as a global hub for biotechnology and precision medicine.

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced the initiative at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, where he warned that Nigeria’s growing population could become a liability unless the country makes sustained investments in research, science and innovation.

“The biggest demographic dividend ever witnessed anywhere in the world could become a demographic calamity for us if we fail to act. We do not have a choice,” Alausa said.

He described the Nigeria Genomic City as a strategic national investment that would support the Federal Government’s drive to transform Nigeria from a resource-dependent economy into one powered by knowledge, research, technology and innovation.

According to the minister, the project was conceived more than 20 months ago and deliberately designed as a multi-agency and multi-ministerial initiative because of its national importance.

He said the project should not be viewed as belonging to any single ministry or institution but as a national asset that would serve future generations.

Alausa noted that while advanced economies had built trillion-dollar industries around biotechnology and genomics, Nigeria was yet to fully harness one of the world’s richest genomic resources.

He warned that unequal international data-sharing arrangements had enabled valuable African genomic data to generate enormous value abroad with limited benefits returning to the continent.

The minister said Nigeria must invest in protecting its scientific resources, strengthening data sovereignty and attracting international partnerships that deliver mutual benefits.

He also disclosed that the Federal Government was finalising the establishment of the National Research and Innovation Development Fund, expected to mobilise about **$500 million annually** to support research and innovation across the country.

According to him, the University of Abuja will host the Nigeria Genomic City, while the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the National Board for Technology Incubation and other strategic partners will provide the technological and innovation support required for the project.

He added that the Federal Ministry of Education would coordinate implementation, mobilise resources and facilitate collaboration among participating institutions.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, described the initiative as an opportunity for Nigeria to emerge as a global leader in scientific innovation.

She said the country’s large population, expanding research capacity and growing pool of technical experts provided a strong foundation for the success of the project.

Presenting the technical framework, the Pioneer Director of the Centre for Genomic and Precision Medicine at the University of Ibadan, Prof. Mayowa Ojo Owolabi, said the Nigeria Genomic City would establish a national platform built on genomic, biological and health data to accelerate discoveries in disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

He added that the initiative would also improve crop and livestock production, strengthen food security and stimulate economic growth through biotechnology.

According to Owolabi, Africa possesses the world’s richest genetic diversity, giving Nigeria a unique opportunity to become a global centre for genomics, precision medicine and biotechnology.

He said the project would strengthen data sovereignty, protect intellectual property, develop a world-class scientific workforce and deepen collaboration with Nigerian researchers in the diaspora.

The professor added that the initiative would position Nigeria as an exporter of scientific discoveries and biotechnology innovations rather than a consumer of technologies developed elsewhere.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment, Alausa said the Ministry of Education would provide the leadership needed to drive the project, expressing confidence that collaboration among government, academia, industry, development partners and the private sector would unlock Nigeria’s scientific potential and enhance its global competitiveness.