Fashola calls for increased funding to strengthen NIMR
Former Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola has called for improved funding to boost the research capacity of the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR).
Speaking on Tuesday at NIMR’s monthly media chat—a platform designed to update the public on its research work—Fashola, who chairs the NIMR Foundation, said the institute still lacks the level of support needed to compete with leading health research institutions globally.
He noted that Nigeria has the potential to contribute significantly to future medical breakthroughs if the institute is adequately funded. “Scientific discoveries continue to shape human quality of life. Eye glasses exist because researchers devoted time and resources to improving human welfare. Discoveries like penicillin, introduced in 1948, raised global life expectancy,” he said.
Fashola described NIMR as the country’s apex medical research institute and stressed the need for proper funding to enable it meet national health needs.
He urged the government to create a reporting system that would prevent unspent research funds from being automatically withdrawn due to yearly financial policies. “The government must provide an account where unused funds are not mopped up, but kept and monitored so the institute does not fall behind in its research,” he said.
Fashola also appealed to the media to continue sensitising the public about the importance of supporting medical research, noting that funding should not be the government’s responsibility alone. He emphasised the need for both public and private sector contributions.
Earlier, NIMR Director-General Prof. Oladapo Obafunwa said the media chat was created to promote accountability, collaboration, and public understanding of the institute’s research efforts. He added that the forum helps simplify scientific work for the public and strengthens engagement with journalists.
Obafunwa assured that NIMR will continue working closely with the media to inform and engage Nigerians on its activities.
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