Private sector, academic institutions mull sustainable genomics infrastructure

Board Chairman of Inqaba Biotec West Africa, Mr. Abiodun Lukman Aroworamimo, Director of the Institute of Viral and Emergent Pathogens Control and Research at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Dr. Joseph Okoeguale and Co-Founder and CEO of BioVana Research, Ms. Estelle Dogbo, have highlighted how collaboration between academic institutions and the private sector can build sustainable genomics infrastructure.

This was made at the 2026 Summit of The Consortium of Genomics Students and Young Researchers in Africa (CoGSAYR Africa) held in Lagos recently.

“The future of genomics in Africa depends on strong partnerships between academia and industry,” Ms. Dogbo said.

“We need to work together to build infrastructure that is sustainable and contextually relevant to our continent’s needs.”

Eniola Alex, Founder and CEO of Precision Health, presented his startup’s use of genomics to personalise skincare for Nigerians.

His work translates complex genomic science into consumer products that address everyday needs, showing how research can move from the laboratory to the marketplace.

CoGSAYR Africa also organised hands-on workshops covering raw sequence analysis with the African Bioinformatics Institute, cancer biomarker discovery through transcriptomics, AI-powered genomics for precision medicine, and Python programming for bioinformatics beginners.

A tabletop simulation exercise on pandemic preparedness proved particularly popular.

Participants worked through a respiratory illness outbreak case study, applying theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios and strengthening their readiness for real-world public health emergencies.

According to Oladotun Ola-Egbinola, the summit’s public relations officer, “the session proved valuable in demonstrating how different professionals, genomic researchers, doctors, bioinformaticians, policymakers, and journalists, could work together as a state surveillance team during a pandemic.”

The young researchers presented their work through poster presentations and oral abstracts on topics ranging from molecular characterisation of gene variants in hypertensive heart failure patients to machine learning for pharmacogenetic-guided drug dosing across diverse populations.

Professor Nicola Mulder, Head of the Computational Biology Division at the University of Cape Town and Interim Director of the African Bioinformatics Institute, delivered a virtual keynote on systems thinking in scaling genomics solutions across Africa.

A career documentary session featured Dr. Nasiru Abdullahi, Dr. Tolulope Kayode, Dr. Aishat Oladipo, and Grace Chukwu, who traced their paths from research centers in Nigeria to institutions in the United States and United Kingdom.

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Their experiences illustrated both the global opportunities available to African genomics researchers and the importance of bringing that expertise back home.

The hybrid format allowed researchers across Africa to participate regardless of location, ensuring broad access to knowledge and networking opportunities.

Participants spent time between sessions building relationships with peers, mentors, and potential collaborators.

During the closing ceremony, Dr. Ibrahim reflected on how far the consortium has come since its pandemic-era beginnings.

“What started as a desire to find people who shared my passion for genomics during the pandemic has grown into something much bigger,” she said.

“This community, this network of young researchers across Africa, gives me so much hope for the future of genomics on our continent.”

The summit showed that Africa has moved beyond simply participating in global genomics conversations.

The continent now leads in developing solutions for health challenges, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development that account for African contexts and priorities.

Through accessible training and networking opportunities, CoGSAYR Africa continues positioning the next generation of African scientists to contribute meaningfully to genomics research at home and abroad.