Public health experts have sounded the alarm over Nigeria’s weak infectious disease surveillance system, warning that outdated and underfunded mechanisms are hampering the country’s ability to detect and respond to outbreaks in time. Speaking at the launch of the AI4OneHealth Research Hub at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, the experts described Nigeria’s health data systems as incapable of providing real-time information critical to preventing avoidable disease spread and fatalities.
With cholera cases rising across several states and growing global concerns over re-emerging infectious diseases, stakeholders called for increased investment in real-time health intelligence systems to avert future crises. The newly launched AI4OneHealth Research Hub brings together experts from computer science, veterinary medicine, and public health to develop artificial intelligence-driven solutions for infectious disease surveillance and control.
Project Director Dr. Jubel Falana described the hub as a critical platform designed to harness AI in tackling Nigeria’s pressing health challenges. He explained that the initiative forms part of the Artificial Intelligence Applications for Development (AI4Development) framework, which includes three major tracks: AI4Agriculture, AI4Cybersecurity, and the newly established AI4OneHealth, now positioned to pioneer innovations in disease monitoring. Falana stressed that infectious diseases remain one of Africa’s biggest public health threats, citing a recent Africa CDC report which recorded over 1,100 suspected cases and 28 deaths within a single reporting cycle.
According to him, disease surveillance in Nigeria is hampered by low funding, poor infrastructure, and limited access to real-time data. While existing platforms like SOMAS have made some progress, they still depend on manual reporting methods that cannot deliver a complete and timely picture of outbreaks. To address these gaps, the hub is developing an intelligent early warning and response system capable of real-time monitoring and prediction.
“This project is the result of rigorous proposal development, and we are proud to have been selected to represent Nigeria in this continental effort,” Falana said.
A research analyst at the hub, Dr. D.O. Aborisade, revealed that pilot projects are underway in Ogun State to predict and monitor monkeypox and cholera infections. Primary data collection is ongoing through online surveys to complement incomplete government datasets, while advanced machine learning models, including GRU-based deep learning, are being deployed to develop predictive dashboards.
Aborisade explained that the planned platform will enable health workers to log suspected cases directly via mobile devices, with the system instantly processing data to map hotspots, generate forecasts, and send real-time alerts to authorities.
Unlike existing reporting systems, the new platform will integrate text, images, and video inputs directly into an intelligent dashboard. Once tested and validated, the solution will be scaled nationwide.
Team Lead Prof. Adesina Sodiya explained that the AI4OneHealth initiative is the result of two years of competitive proposal writing and rigorous evaluations. He noted that Nigeria’s selection to represent the Global South under the AI4PEP framework underscores the country’s capacity for innovation.
“These projects are not just academic exercises; they are designed for real-world impact,” he said, commending the multidisciplinary team of computer scientists, medical doctors, veterinarians, epidemiologists, and students for sustaining the project even before funding arrived.
He also acknowledged the support of the Ogun State Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Federal Medical Centre, and other collaborators.
The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Olusola Kehinde, who was duly represented, lauded the establishment of the AI4OneHealth hub as a significant milestone for both the university and Nigeria’s health system.
She noted that FUNAAB’s tripartite mandate of teaching, research, and extension services is being expanded through groundbreaking AI applications that strengthen public health outcomes and place the institution at the forefront of global health innovation.
