The University of Abuja, now known as Yakubu Gowon University, has secured over £5 million in international funding to strengthen sickle cell research and healthcare delivery across sub-Saharan Africa.
The announcement came during a research workshop hosted at the university’s Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell Research and Training (CESTRA), organised in partnership with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and other global institutions under the PACTS project.
Professor Obiageli Nnodu, Director of CESTRA and Co-Principal Investigator on the project, said the goal is to empower African institutions to lead cutting-edge research on sickle cell disease through capacity building, training, and infrastructure development.
“Research is not just for academic prestige. It’s a tool for national development,” she said. “We’re training faculty members, equipping them with the skills and structure to win grants, carry out research effectively, and translate results into practical solutions for policy and society.”
According to Prof Nnodu, institutions in Ghana, Zambia, the United States, and the UK are part of the research alliance.
“We’re working closely with Kwame Nkrumah University, the University Teaching Hospital in Zambia, and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine,” she added. “This is a significant step forward, not just for Nigeria but for the continent.”
Opening the workshop, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Patricia Lar, said the institution was committed to confronting Nigeria’s sickle cell crisis head-on. She was represented by Prof Rhoda Mundi, Senior Special Assistant on Academic Matters.
“This is more than a workshop. It reflects our strategic direction as a university and our shared resolve to contribute meaningfully to solving real health challenges across Africa,” she said.
Prof Lar stressed that building research capacity is no longer optional. “If we want to offer real solutions, we need to equip our institutions with the right skills, networks, and mindset,” she added.
Also speaking, the Principal Investigator for PACTS, Professor Imelda Bates, said the project is groundbreaking because it centres patients in every stage of the research process.
“This is a shift. We’re talking to the patients directly, understanding their lived realities, and letting that guide the research,” she explained. “Nigeria has the world’s largest sickle cell population. If we don’t lead this research, who will?”
Prof Bates shared some troubling findings from the project’s early stages. Many families living with sickle cell disease are stuck in a cycle of poverty, struggling to afford food, transport, and basic care.
“Some families have multiple children with the condition, and the financial burden is overwhelming,” she said. “They often turn to herbal remedies, delay hospital visits, and face long waiting times at health facilities. These delays can worsen outcomes.”
She added, “We found that patients spend hours moving between nurses, labs, and pharmacies. That’s time they don’t have, money they can’t spare. We’re trying to map out simple but effective solutions that make a real difference.”
Nigeria remains at the heart of the global sickle cell conversation. With the disease affecting millions and placing huge pressure on families and health systems, experts say investments like this could redefine how Africa tackles inherited blood disorders.
The project also aims to shift how international research partnerships work. Instead of sidelining African institutions, the model prioritises local leadership, long-term training, and sustainability.
