ABSTRACT
Nigeria is a lower-middle-income developing country in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria's health profile is a mixture of high rates of infectious diseases, a growing non-communicable diseases (NCD) challenge, and relatively low life expectancy rates. The life expectancy in Nigeria is estimated at 56 years for females and 53 years for males. There are high prevalence rates of malaria and HIV, and meningitis is endemic in some parts of the country. Over three million people are infected with HIV, one of the highest numbers in the world. This chapter examines research governance in Nigeria that is underpinned by the National Health Act enacted in 2014 and other policies. It considers the institutional framework through which Nigeria's ethical and legal frameworks are implemented. The chapter describes the challenges that the various institutions face in carrying out their tasks in protecting research participants while promoting beneficial research, including matters relating to quality, regularity, and consistency.
