FUNAAB Launches AI-Powered Infectious Disease Projects, Secures €11.3m Funding to Transform Health Surveillance in Nigeria

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has officially launched two cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered research projects aimed at transforming infectious disease surveillance and response in Nigeria, with Ogun State as the pilot site. Under the AIA4OneHealth initiative, the projects were unveiled at the Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE) and are supported by a €11.3 million grant from the International Development Research Council (IDRC) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), facilitated through the AI4PEP Network at the University of Toronto, Canada.

These projects—an Intelligent Early Warning and Response System for Infectious Disease Control and a Smart Management System for MPOX (Monkeypox)—are designed to enhance real-time data collection and analysis for predicting, preventing, and managing disease outbreaks. They aim to strengthen national health surveillance platforms such as SORMAS and TATAFO, advancing Nigeria’s capacity to tackle epidemic-prone infectious diseases with innovative AI solutions.

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Professor Adeshina Sodiya, Team Lead of the AIA4OneHealth group, emphasized that the initiative marks a shift from purely academic research to impactful AI-driven public health interventions under the One Health framework, which addresses interconnected human, animal, and environmental health challenges. Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Morenike Dipeolu praised FUNAAB’s rising prominence in research and innovation, linking the projects to the university’s reputation as the second-best Nigerian university in graduate employability.

Ogun State’s Special Adviser on ICT, Mr. Dayo Abiodun, hailed the project as positioning the state at the forefront of public health innovation in Nigeria, highlighting AI’s role in epidemic prediction and response to enhance citizen health outcomes. The funding will cover capacity building, infrastructure, field research, and global partnerships, with plans to scale the initiative nationally in collaboration with key stakeholders including the Federal Medical Centre, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Ogun State Ministry of Health, and others.

Overall, the FUNAAB-led AI projects underscore Nigeria’s commitment to leveraging advanced technology and collaborative networks to strengthen pandemic preparedness and safeguard public health on a sustainable scale .