Molecular Geneticist, Dr Ifeyinwa Rhodes-Vivour, Unveils Nigeria’s First National Genomic Platform 

Summary: Dr Ifeyinwa Aniebo Rhodes-Vivour, a molecular geneticist and associate professor at the Institute of African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), has unveiled Nigeria’s first National Genomic surveillance platform to combat malaria.

Dr Ifeyinwa Aniebo Rhodes-Vivour, a molecular geneticist and associate professor at the Institute of African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), unveiled Nigeria’s first National Genomic surveillance platform to combat malaria on Monday, May 25, 2026.

The National Malaria Genomic Surveillance platform is an initiative designed to monitor drug-resistant strains in real-time to inform treatment protocols. The platform allows health officials to respond swiftly to emerging threats by guiding targeted interventions, optimising treatment protocols, and informing vaccine deployment across the country’s diverse ecological zones. This milestone is a major breakthrough for Nigeria, which bears the world’s highest malaria burden—accounting for nearly 27% of global cases and 31% of deaths.

While announcing the project, the researcher emphasised that the platform is a critical, locally developed tool for monitoring drug resistance and driving Nigeria toward eliminating malaria. Describing the platform as her brainchild, Dr Ifeyinwa revealed that building the system was a collaborative effort, where her team travelled to collect 10,000 dried blood spot (DBS) samples from vulnerable children aged 6 to 59 months across all 36 states in Nigeria.

“My team and I have built Nigeria’s first National Genomic Surveillance Platform, a breakthrough system to track drug resistance and accelerate the country’s journey to malaria elimination,” she stated.

She also highlighted the project’s impact on building local capacity, noting her focus on mentoring a new generation of Nigerian scientists.