NGF, Grand Challenges Nigeria to Showcase Eight Health Innovations in Abuja

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Grand Challenges Nigeria are set to bring together government officials, researchers, development partners and financing institutions to explore how locally developed health innovations can be translated into practical solutions for Nigeria’s healthcare challenges.

The two organisations will host the 2026 Annual Meeting and Innovation Exchange on Friday, November 13, in Abuja, with a focus on strengthening pathways for the adoption, financing and expansion of evidence-based health innovations.

The meeting, scheduled to hold at Lake Greenfield Hotel, will be held under the theme, “Innovation to Impact: Evidence, Adoption, Uptake and Scale for Better Health in Nigeria.”

Eight projects supported by Grand Challenges Nigeria and targeting maternal, newborn and child health will be showcased at the event.

The projects address critical healthcare concerns, including newborn sepsis diagnosis, umbilical cord care, community-supported digital healthcare, emergency maternal referrals, birth-defect identification, perinatal asphyxia research, digital risk support and the prediction of severe pre-eclampsia.

According to the organisers, the exchange will provide an opportunity for researchers to present evidence and practical implementation experiences while engaging policymakers and other stakeholders on how promising innovations can move beyond research into wider healthcare delivery.

Discussions will also examine the institutional capacity, policy frameworks and sustainable financing required to support the adoption and replication of successful interventions across Nigerian states.

The participation of the NGF is expected to strengthen the involvement of state governments in the discussions, particularly given their critical responsibilities in delivering healthcare services and implementing health policies.

The African University of Science and Technology will also contribute a Policy Lab designed to examine the institutional decisions and processes required to translate research findings into practical interventions.

Grand Challenges Nigeria was launched in November 2024 as a national platform supporting locally driven research and innovation in health and food security.

Anchored by the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, the initiative operates in partnership with the Office of the Vice President and the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.

The platform receives support from the Gates Foundation, with technical assistance from the Science for Africa Foundation, and forms part of the wider Grand Challenges network.

The organisers said the November 13 gathering would help identify the additional evidence, institutional partnerships and financing needed to determine the next stages of promising health innovations.

They, however, clarified that participation in the exchange or inclusion in the project showcase does not automatically guarantee funding or government adoption, noting that research findings must be assessed within their established limitations.

Attendance at the meeting will be by invitation, while media organisations seeking interviews and coverage arrangements have been advised to contact the Grand Challenges Nigeria secretariat ahead of the event.

Media enquiries can be directed to Godwin A. Bamsa of Grand Challenges Nigeria via godwin.gcng@nutritionnigeria.org or +234 907 301 8659.