Ethical and Legal Dimensions of Whole Genome Sequencing in Nigerian Public Health Research: A Policy Analysis

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is increasingly deployed in Nigerian public health research contexts, including infectious disease surveillance and non-communicable disease genomics studies. The ethical and legal frameworks governing the collection, storage, analysis, and sharing of WGS data in Nigeria remain fragmented and evolving. This policy analysis reviewed the adequacy of existing Nigerian regulatory instruments governing WGS in public health research contexts, and assessed researcher and ethics committee awareness of these instruments. A document review of relevant legislation including the Nigerian Code of Health Research Ethics, National Health Act 2014, National Data Protection Regulation 2019, and the Nagoya Protocol ratification instruments was conducted. Fifteen in-depth interviews were held with public health researchers, research ethics committee chairs, and legal experts from Lagos, Abuja, and Ibadan. Analysis revealed significant regulatory gaps particularly around cross-border data transfer, secondary use of sequenced data, and community-level consent for ethnic population genomic research. Ethics committee capacity to review WGS-specific protocols was limited. A consolidated policy framework for WGS governance in Nigerian public health research is urgently needed, incorporating lessons from the H3Africa Consortium governance experience. Keywords: whole genome sequencing, research ethics, policy analysis, Nigeria, public health genomics