Bridging ethical and legal gaps in health data and AI in Nigeria
Bridging Gaps in the ELSI of Data Science Health Research in Nigeria (BridgELSI)
This project will create fair, practical rules and protections so Nigerian patients and communities who use digital health tools and AI are safer and better informed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Center for Bioethics and Research, Nigeria NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ibadan, Nigeria) |
| Project ID | NIH-11164476 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We're reviewing existing laws, policies, and practices and talking with patients, clinicians, lawyers, and community members across Nigeria to learn how health data and AI are actually used and where risks arise. The team will combine document reviews, interviews, and community engagement to map gaps in consent, privacy, data sharing, and oversight. Working with local stakeholders, they will co-design governance frameworks and guidance tailored to Nigeria's health systems and technology landscape. Partner universities and health centers will help promote and refine these tools so they can be used in real-world care settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants include Nigerian patients and caregivers, healthcare workers, ethicists, and legal professionals involved with health data or digital health tools.
Not a fit: People who live outside Nigeria or who do not use digital health technologies are unlikely to see direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could gain stronger privacy protections, clearer consent options, and safer use of AI-driven health tools.
How similar studies have performed: Ethics and governance efforts in higher-income countries have helped make data use safer, but few projects have been co-designed for Nigeria, so this work adapts known approaches to a new local context.
Where this research is happening
Ibadan, Nigeria
- Center for Bioethics and Research, Nigeria — Ibadan, Nigeria (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ogundiran, Temidayo Olusade — Center for Bioethics and Research, Nigeria
- Study coordinator: Ogundiran, Temidayo Olusade
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.