Developing a Master of Science in Research Ethics Program in Northern Nigeria: A Needs Assessment

Background Nigeria is an emerging hub of biomedical research, requiring additional trained bioethicists for ethical oversight of research studies. There are currently two graduate-level research ethics programs in Nigeria. However, both are in the southern portion of the country and no training programs exist in north. Strengthening the research ethics skills and knowledge of Nigerian researchers across the country is necessary given the growing genetics research infrastructure. Methods To inform the creation of a Master of Science in Research Ethics program in northern Nigeria, we conducted a needs assessment comprised of semi-structured interviews with nine Nigerian bioethics experts. We used the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method to analyze interview transcriptions. Two authors independently read and coded each participant’s transcription to identify emergent themes that represented each participant’s responses. Within these overarching themes, the data points were grouped into subthemes. Results Four primary themes emerged with ten subthemes. Respondents agreed that the program can fill a gap and strengthen capacity in research ethics; the curriculum should be developed with an interdisciplinary lens and locally contextualized. Students should be taught how to think critically through ethical scenarios since research ethics will need to be applied to real world situations. Leaders within the program should recruit faculty and students locally who have bandwidth to participate in the program; and the program should have university support. Conclusion Our findings will guide the creation of a program that establishes a research ethics capacity in northern Nigeria. Continuing to enhance the country’s growing prominence in global biomedical research. Through our needs assessment we identified structural and content factors that can guide us in leveraging strengths of the local institution and leaders in research ethics while mitigating challenges in establishing this master’s program.