The 2026 edition of the Africa’s
Clinical Research Ecosystem Summit (ACRES) will hold on November 27 and 28 in
Yaba, Lagos, with a focus on building African talent and local research
capacity in clinical trials.
The summit will bring together
students, healthcare professionals, researchers, academic institutions and
industry stakeholders. Its theme is “Redefining Representation & Talent in
African Clinical Trials.”
The organisers said the summit
would help students and early-career professionals understand the clinical
research ecosystem, explore career pathways and connect with practitioners in
healthcare and research.
The convener of ACRES and
Managing Director of United Clinical Trials Support Services (UCTSS), Aizehi
Onoigboria, said the programme was designed to move participants from theory to
practice.
“We created this workshop so
students could move beyond theory and start thinking in solutions, not just
learning what clinical research is, but understanding how it works and where
they fit into it,” she said.
A student who attended a previous session said it changed how she viewed career options in Nigeria. “My key takeaway from the event is that your BSc is your base, what you do with that BSc, and how you specialise will determine your future,” the participant said.
Speakers at this year’s summit
include a Professor of Paediatric Surgery at the College of Medicine, University
of Lagos, Adesoji Ademuyiwa; an Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacology
and Internal Medicine, Dr Ramalan Mansur; and the Chief Research Fellow at the
Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Dr Toyosi Raheem.
Others are the Co-Founder and
Chief Executive Officer of Innomas Clinical Research, Lisa Ursella Collins, who
is also with the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria; Onoigboria; and the Growth
and Partnerships Manager at YLabs, Yusuf Babatunde.
The programme will include
interactive sessions, networking opportunities and a group presentation
initiative themed “Solutions that Strengthen Clinical Research Capacity in
Nigeria.” Participants will identify gaps in the country’s clinical research
ecosystem and present practical proposals to address them.
The summit is supported by
Biospherea, National Public Health Network, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria,
Clinton Health Access Initiative, NIMR and Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital.
Others are the Nigerian Association of Microbiology Students, the College of
Medicine, University of Lagos, the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian
Students, the College of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science Students
Association (UNILAG chapter) and Yaba College of Technology.
Registration is open to students,
healthcare professionals, researchers and other stakeholders at
https://acres.unitedclinicalss.com/register/. Organisations seeking
sponsorship, exhibition or partnership opportunities can contact the ACRES
team. Sponsorship may be financial or in kind.
Confirm the venue in Yaba, the
gender of Onoigboria (written as “she” here) and the full name of the student
quoted before publication.
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