The NIHR Global Surgery Unit (GSU) Nigeria Hub has marked a decade of partnership with the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, celebrating years of collaboration that have strengthened surgical research and improved patient care across Nigeria.
The anniversary event was held in Lagos on Tuesday, bringing together local and international partners involved in advancing evidence-based surgical practice in the country.
Over the past 10 years, the Nigeria Hub has built an extensive research network involving 36 formally affiliated institutions and more than 50 centres participating in operational studies across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. This growth has positioned the hub as a major contributor to high-quality surgical research and capacity development nationwide.
Speaking at the event, Dr Kamil Shoretire, Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, described the collaboration as impactful and mutually beneficial.
He noted that Nigerian institutions, led by the University of Lagos, have worked closely with the University of Birmingham to advance surgical research, adding that Nigeria has benefited significantly from engagement with international research groups over the last decade.
The Hub Director, Prof. Adesoji Ademuyiwa, said the partnership had transformed the scale and quality of surgical research in Nigeria.
According to Ademuyiwa, a Professor of Surgery and Consultant Paediatric Surgeon at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), research efforts previously focused on single-centre studies, but the collaboration has enabled large, multi-centre international trials with stronger evidence and broader impact.
He explained that the network, which initially involved only one centre, has expanded to more than 30 centres nationwide, generating research findings that directly influence patient outcomes.
Ademuyiwa cited outcomes from major studies, including the FALCON Trial, which demonstrated that more affordable antiseptic and suction methods were as effective as costlier alternatives, and the CHEETAH Trial, which showed that changing gloves and instruments during surgery reduced surgical site infections by about 15 per cent.
He also disclosed that the hub had established a data centre to train researchers in surgical data analysis and had recently launched a Master’s programme in Surgery, with plans to develop it into a joint degree between the University of Lagos and the University of Birmingham.
“This will allow students to receive the same quality of surgical education in Lagos as they would in Birmingham,” he said.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director of the NIHR GSU, Prof. Adewale Adisa, said the collaboration had strengthened training opportunities for medical students and resident doctors, contributing to improved surgical outcomes over the years.
Adisa, a Professor of Surgery at the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, said the celebration also marked the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding to extend the partnership into the future.
On his part, Prof. Dion Morton, Barling Chair of Surgery at the University of Birmingham, said the impact of the research extended beyond Nigeria, benefiting patients across West Africa, the UK and other parts of the world.
He noted that findings from studies conducted by the Nigeria Hub were relevant globally and had improved surgical care for thousands of patients.
Similarly, the Provost of the University of Birmingham, Prof. Nick Vaughan-Williams, described the partnership as essential in addressing complex surgical challenges, adding that the shared vision between the University of Lagos and the University of Birmingham was central to the success of the collaboration.