Institute of Genomics and Global Health

What Institute of Genomics and Global Health does

The Institute of Genomics and Global Health (IGH) is a Nigeria-based research institute headquartered at Redeemer's University in Ede, Osun State, operating across five specialized centres: the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), the Human Genome Centre, the International Centre of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR), the Centre for One Health and Zoonotic Diseases Research and Surveillance, and the Centre for Data Science & Virtual Reality. IGH conducts infectious disease genomics, pathogen surveillance, diagnostic development, and precision medicine research, serving African public health institutions, national disease control bodies, and global research consortia. Its technology stack includes Illumina NovaSeq X Plus whole-genome sequencing, CRISPR-based SHERLOCK diagnostics, real-time metagenomic surveillance, and proprietary rapid diagnostic tests (FDA/WHO-approved Ebola RDT, Lassa fever RDT, COVID-19 vaccine candidate in preclinical trials). In November 2024, IGH became the first institution to sequence an entire human genome on Nigerian soil using the NovaSeq X Plus platform.

IGH's business model is primarily grant-funded, with revenue drawn from international funding agencies including the World Bank, NIH, Wellcome Trust, Gates Foundation, CEPI, US Department of Defence, BBSRC, Skoll Foundation, and MacArthur Foundation. It monetizes through research grants and contracts, postgraduate tuition via its AQAS-accredited MSc/PhD programs joint with Redeemer's University, paid training workshops (e.g., ₦100,000 for the Bacterial Genomic Sequencing Workshop), and fellowships. Distribution occurs through direct institutional partnerships with Redeemer's University, a network of field sites across Nigerian hospitals (AEFUTHA, ISTH, FMC Owo, General Hospital Ikorodu), and international collaborations with the Broad Institute, WHO, and Africa CDC. IGH has trained over 3,500 scientists across 53 of 54 African countries, generated 5,000+ SARS-CoV-2 sequences and 1,000+ Lassa virus sequences, and serves as a WHO and Africa CDC designated reference laboratory for emerging pathogen genomic surveillance.

Name

Institute of Genomics and Global Health

Legal name

Institute of Genomics and Global Health

Website

https://ighresearch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Institute of Genomics and Global Health (IGH) is a Nigeria-based research institute conducting genomics, pathogen surveillance, and diagnostic development across five research centres, serving African public health institutions and global health organizations. IGH operates WHO/Africa CDC designated reference laboratories and has trained over 3,500 scientists across 53 African countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Genomics Research and Public Health Services

NAICS

Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215), Medical Laboratories (621511), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAJAIAK

Public Health Genomics & Sequencing (WGS/Metagenomics) Networks

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Public Health Laboratories & Reference Testing Networks

SECONDARYHLAJAIAA

National Public Health Reference Laboratories

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Public Health Laboratories & Reference Testing Networks

SECONDARYHLAJABAC

Laboratory-Based Surveillance & Genomic Epidemiology (WGS/NGS)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Disease Surveillance, Epidemiology & Outbreak Response

SECONDARYHLAFAMAE

Molecular Diagnostics & Genomics Laboratories

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Clinical Laboratories

SECONDARYHLAFAMAD

Microbiology & Infectious Disease Testing Laboratories

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Clinical Laboratories

SECONDARYBPADAIAH

Health Security, Pandemic Preparedness & Response (IHR, EID)

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Global Health & Population Programs

Keywords

• Genomics research services
• Infectious disease surveillance
• Rapid diagnostic development
• Genomic sequencing services
• Bioinformatics research

Headquarters

HQ city

Ede

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Contracts: IGH operates primarily through competitive research grants and contracts from international funding agencies including World Bank (initial ACEGID funding), United States Department of Defence, National Institutes of Health, Wellcome Trust, UK BBSRC, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and others for high-impact studies on infectious diseases, genomic surveillance, and capacity building.
2. Education and Training Programs: Revenue generated from postgraduate degree programs (MSc and PhD in Molecular Biology and Genomics) offered in partnership with Redeemer's University, as well as short courses, workshops, and training programs including the Bacterial Genomic Sequencing Workshop (₦100,000 fee).
3. Skoll Foundation Seed Funding: Received 500k USD seed investment from Skoll Foundation for GenCoE (Genomics Centres of Excellence in Africa) initiative to establish network of cutting-edge genomics research programs across the continent.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Institute of Genomics and Global Health (IGH) is a pioneering African research institute that delivers end-to-end genomics solutions including pathogen identification and characterization, real-time genomic surveillance for outbreak response, rapid diagnostic test development (e.g., 10-minute Ebola and Lassa RDTs), vaccine development, and AQAS-accredited postgraduate training in molecular biology and genomics. It operates five specialized research centers covering infectious diseases, malaria, the human genome, One Health/zoonotic surveillance, and data science, and serves as a WHO and Africa CDC-designated reference laboratory.

Product overview

The Institute of Genomics and Global Health (IGH) operates as a multi-disciplinary research institute with five specialized research centres: ACEGID (African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases), the Human Genome Centre, the International Centre of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR), the Centre for One Health and Zoonotic Diseases Research and Surveillance, and the Centre for Data Science & Virtual Reality. IGH offers AQAS-accredited postgraduate education programs (MSc and PhD in Molecular Biology and Genomics), training workshops including the annual Bacterial Genomic Sequencing Workshop and Genomics Bootcamp, and has developed diagnostic products including WHO/FDA-approved Ebola and Lassa fever rapid diagnostic tests and CRISPR-based SHERLOCK diagnostics. The institute also leads the Sentinel global outbreak surveillance project in collaboration with the Broad Institute.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID)
• Human Genome Centre
• International Centre of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR)
• Centre for One Health and Zoonotic Diseases Research and Surveillance
• Centre for Data Science & Virtual Reality
• MSc and PhD in Molecular Biology and Genomics
• IGH Bacterial Genomic Sequencing Workshop
• Genomics Bootcamp and Short Courses
• Ebola Virus Rapid Diagnostic Test
• Lassa Fever Rapid Diagnostic Test
• SHERLOCK CRISPR Diagnostic
• Sentinel Project
• COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate

Quantifiable outcome

• Confirmed first Ebola case in Nigeria within 48 hours, enabling early containment and preventing urban catastrophe
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• IlluminacoreTechnology or IntegrationIllumina donated the NovaSeq X Plus sequencer to IGH, making it one of few institutions on the continent capable of performing advanced human genome analysis. This enables IGH's pioneering whole human genome sequencing capability in Africa.
• RochesupportingTechnology or IntegrationRoche pledged financial support for reagents and sequencing supplies, supporting IGH's genomics research and sequencing operations.
• Redeemer's UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution providing foundational support and infrastructure for IGH operations. Joint delivery of MSc and PhD programs in Molecular Biology and Genomics through the College of Postgraduate Studies.
• Broad InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leads the Sentinel project with IGH for global outbreak surveillance. Sentinel was awarded $12.5 million by MacArthur Foundation's 100&Change. The project focuses on real-time genomic surveillance, open data sharing, and translational research to prevent pandemics.
• African Academy of Sciences (AAS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting the LALEF project (Life after Lassa Fever) investigating sensorineural hearing loss in Lassa fever survivors through research funding and institutional backing.
• Africa CDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignated ACEGID as one of two continental reference laboratories for genomic sequencing of COVID-19 and other emerging pathogens, and recognized ACEGID as African hub of excellence for infectious disease research, development, innovations, and training.
• Nigeria CDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey national partner for COVID-19 testing and genomic sequencing. IGH performed first SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequence in Africa within 48 hours of receiving sample from Nigeria CDC.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignated ACEGID as regional reference sequencing laboratory and approved Ebola rapid diagnostic test under Emergency Use Authorization. WHO collaboration for outbreak preparedness and response.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Institut Pasteur: Institut Pasteur is a globally established research institute with an extensive infectious disease, genomics, and reference laboratory network. It is comparable as a multi-disciplinary biomedical research organization with a global surveillance footprint, though significantly larger and older.
• Wellcome Sanger Institute: The Sanger Institute is a globally established genomic sequencing and bioinformatics center with infectious disease surveillance programs. It is comparable in technology stack (high-throughput sequencing, pathogen genomics) and mission, though substantially larger and UK-based.

Direct peers

• Broad Institute: The Broad Institute is the co-leader of the Sentinel pandemic surveillance project with IGH (MacArthur 100&Change award). Both institutions operate large-scale genomic sequencing programs, infectious disease research, and bioinformatics platforms with global public health missions.
• Genomics England: Genomics England runs a national-scale human genome sequencing program (100,000 Genomes) similar to IGH's Human Genome Centre ambition. Both operate as publicly-funded population genomics platforms integrating research with clinical translation.
• Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI): KEMRI is a leading African medical research institute with similar genomic surveillance, infectious disease research, and training mandates. Both serve as national/regional reference laboratories and partner with WHO and Africa CDC on outbreak response across the continent.
• Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR): NIMR is Nigeria's primary national medical research institute, operating in the same genomics and infectious disease research space. Both serve as Nigeria-based reference and research institutions with similar public health mandates.
• West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP): WACCBIP at the University of Ghana is a World Bank-funded African Centre of Excellence similar to IGH's ACEGID origins. Both conduct genomics, infectious disease research, and postgraduate training in West Africa.

Others

• Africa CDC: Africa CDC is the continental public health agency that designates IGH as a reference laboratory. It is comparable as a coordinating institution for genomic surveillance and outbreak response across African Union member states, though operating as a regulatory/coordinating body rather than a research lab.
• Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND): FIND is a global non-profit focused on development and delivery of diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, including Ebola and Lassa fever RDTs where IGH also develops products. Both operate in the global health diagnostics ecosystem with overlapping disease priorities.

Regional players

• South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC): SAMRC is Africa's largest publicly-funded medical research council, conducting genomics, infectious disease, and NCD research. It is comparable as a national-level research institution with continental influence, though primarily South Africa-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/acegid
• Instagraminstagram.com/acegid_lab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acegid-igh

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute of Genomics and Global Health