Improved Governance of Health Research in Nigeria: NHREC E-Portal Unveiled

The Federal Government has launched the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) Electronic Portal.

The portal unveiled by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, aims to streamline and modernize the ethical review and approval process for health research proposals.

Developed in partnership with Public Health Information, Surveillance Solutions and Systems (PHIS3) and with support from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the NHREC e-portal is designed to drive efficiency, transparency, and accountability in Nigeria’s health research framework.

Minister Alausa described the portal as a “remarkable milestone” that aligns with global standards and prioritizes the protection of participants’ rights, dignity, and safety.

The e-portal centralizes and simplifies the submission process for research proposals, reducing delays and eliminating redundancies.

This will enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global health research arena, paving the way for data-driven innovation and advancements in clinical practice.

Dr. Adeola Adeyeye, Associate Director of Science at the U.S. CDC, commended the swift development of the platform within six weeks and highlighted the smooth collaboration between the Nigerian government and international partners.

She noted that the platform would significantly shorten approval timelines, fostering local and international research partnerships.

The launch of the NHREC e-portal builds upon the success of the National Strategic Meeting on Health Research Development and Innovation held earlier this year, further underscoring the government’s commitment to research-driven healthcare improvements.

Prior to the portal’s launch, the manual submission of research protocols to NHREC often led to inefficiencies, delays, and concerns about the security of sensitive information.

The new e-portal will address these issues by eliminating the use of paper documents and streamlining the protocol submission, review, and approval processes.

It will also provide a more secure and efficient platform for researchers, protecting their intellectual property and ensuring the confidentiality of participant data.

Prof. Akin Abayomi, Lagos State’s Commissioner for Health, endorsed the e-portal, stating that it would make medical research as easy as running a business.

He emphasized its role in protecting participants’ rights and intellectual property while also speeding up the review process.

Daro Onimode, Project Director at PHIS3, highlighted the benefits of the e-portal, noting that it would eliminate the need for researchers to physically submit paper documents.

He recalled the challenges faced by researchers in remote areas, who previously had to send their documents to Lagos for approval. With the e-portal, researchers can now submit their proposals online in real-time.

A member of NHREC, Professor Oliver Ezechi, explained that the portal was designed for researchers and emphasized the importance of security in the submission process.

He noted that the manual submission process in the past raised security concerns regarding intellectual property and participant data. The e-portal provides a more secure platform for researchers to submit their protocols.

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