In a significant move to enhance health research governance, the federal government of Nigeria has launched the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) electronic platform.
The e-portal, unveiled by the minister of state for health and social welfare Dr Tunji Alausa, on Friday in Lagos, aims to streamline and modernise the ethical review and approval process for health research proposals.
Alausa described the launch as a “remarkable milestone,” marking a shift towards efficiency, transparency, and accountability in Nigeria’s health research system. He credited the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for supporting the platform. “The NHREC electronic platform is more than just a technological tool—it is a promise of integrity and accountability in health research,” Alausa stated, emphasizing that the platform ensures global standards in health research while protecting participants’ rights, dignity, and safety.
The e-portal will centralise and simplify the submission process for research proposals, reducing delays and redundancies, even as Alausa expressed hope that the platform would make Nigeria’s health research more competitive globally, improving data-driven innovation and clinical practices.
Associate director of science at the U.S. CDC, Dr Adeola Adeyeye, lauded the swift development of the platform, achieved in just six weeks through close collaboration between the Nigerian government and international partners.
She highlighted how the platform will significantly reduce approval times, encouraging local and international research collaborations.
The launch follows the success of the National Strategic Meeting on Health Research Development and Innovation earlier this year, reinforcing the government’s commitment to research-driven health improvements. The platform is expected to bolster Nigeria’s ability to generate and utilise research data, driving innovation and healthcare delivery.
Commissioner for health in Lagos State, Prof. Akin Abayomi, praised the platform for simplifying research governance, making it easier for researchers nationwide to obtain ethical approvals. “It’s like the ease of doing business for medical research,” he said, explaining that the system would help protect participants’ rights and intellectual property while accelerating the research process.
Project director of Public Health Information Surveillance Solutions and System (PHIS3), Daro Onimode, a key figure behind the platform’s development, explained that the e-platform is designed to make the application and protocol review process faster, more efficient, and accessible for researchers across the country and beyond.
“Nigeria has a vast network of researchers, both domestically and internationally, and the demand for a digital solution to facilitate the approval process has become increasingly urgent. Before the introduction of the e-portal, researchers had to navigate a tedious, paper-based system that involved physically transporting documents to the Federal Ministry of Health. These documents would move from desk to desk, ultimately landing with the chairman of the ethics committee, who would then assign reviewers. This lengthy and cumbersome process often discouraged researchers, particularly those based in remote areas,” the project director averred.
Onimode highlighted how the platform will change the landscape for researchers. “With the e-platform, there are now mandatory fields researchers need to fill, and once submitted, the document is immediately sent to the appropriate reviewer, then to the chairman, and back to the committee for final approval,” he said, adding that this new process is designed to be smooth and seamless, significantly reducing approval times.
For example, Onimode illustrated the challenge faced by researchers in regions such as Maiduguri, where obtaining approval often meant sending documents across long distances to committee members in places like Lagos. “Now, with the e-platform, it becomes easy to submit and track applications in real-time, promoting research and ultimately improving health outcomes,” he added.
A committee member of the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC), Professor Oliver Ezechi, also commended the introduction of the e-portal, adding, “Before now, our submission process was purely manual, and researchers would send protocols via email, which raised concerns over security and intellectual property. The new platform not only makes the process faster but also ensures that submissions are secure.”
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