Nigerian Institute of Medical Research
NIMR
About
The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) is a federal medical research institute based in Yaba, Lagos state, Nigeria. It conducts basic, applied and operational research into communicable and non-communicable diseases prevalent in the country, with the aim of improving health and national development. NIMR plays a central role in developing structures for disseminating research findings and providing facilities for health research and training. It works with the Ministry of Health, universities and the organised private sector in Nigeria and internationally.
History
NIMR traces its origins to the arrival at Yaba of the British Yellow Fever Commission in the 1920s, and is described as the oldest research institution in Nigeria. The institute was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Research Institute Establishment Act of 1977 to promote national health and development. Until the establishment of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRID) in Abuja, it was the only institute in the country dedicated specifically to medical research. In 2014 the institute played a pivotal role in containing the Ebola outbreak in Lagos. From April 2014, NIMR-affiliated clinicians and researchers, together with the Lagos State Ministry of Health, trained government health officials and medical workers ahead of Nigeria's first Ebola case.
Key Facts
Established
1977
Headquarters
Yaba, Lagos state, Nigeria
Director-General
Professor Babatunde Lawal Salako
Members
2,000+
Jurisdiction
Nigeria
Abbreviation
NIMR
Website
nimr.gov.ng