By Chioma Obinna

The University of Lagos, UNILAG, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, and other partners, has launched Nigeria’s first Behavioural Insights Research and Design, BIRD, Laboratory to tackle the country’s alarming maternal and infant mortality rates.

The laboratory, the second of its kind in Africa after Ethiopia, is designed to study the behavioural and social drivers of poor health outcomes and provide evidence-based solutions that can be scaled to improve the lives of women and children.

Chair of the Network of Behavioural Research for Child Survival in Nigeria, Prof. Adebayo Onojale, said the initiative was born from the conviction that meaningful change begins with ideas backed by science and collaboration.

“The BIRD Lab is an inclusive, collaborative space where people can share experiences, connect, and inspire others through behavioural science and evidence-building. Your commitment has laid the foundation for what we believe will be a lasting impact.” Onojale said.

In her goodwill message, UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Ms. Wafaa Saeed, said the launch of the BIRD Lab was more than an event—it was an opportunity to transform the way Nigeria addresses child survival and development.

“Everything UNICEF does starts and ends with children, and that’s why BIRD-Lab Nigeria, bringing together brilliant minds from psychology, sociology, nutrition, and communication, is such an important platform,” Saeed said.

“It allows us to ask the right questions, better understand communities, and co-create solutions that are child-centred. Investing in children is investing in the country’s future and prosperity.”

She thanked the Federal Ministries of Health and Information, the Network for Behavioural Research on Child Survival, and UNILAG for hosting the first on-site BIRD Lab in Nigeria, describing the partnership as “a commitment that will transform work for children.”

Speaking, the Deputy Representative of UNICEF Nigeria, Rownak Khan, added that the lab would empower young researchers to investigate why government and donor programmes often fall short of expectations despite heavy investments.

“The BIRD Lab allows young students to research issues such as health, nutrition, water sanitation, and education,” Khan explained. “The objective is to understand why people behave the way they do, and why programmes are not always 100 percent successful despite huge investments.”

She praised UNILAG for providing a conducive environment for the hub.

“What makes UNILAG unique is that we now have a physical space where young researchers can work, collaborate, and generate evidence to guide change,” Khan said. “Nineteen universities are already part of this network, and many more are expected to join.”

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Akin Osibogun, lamented Nigeria’s high death rates, contrasting Nigeria’s situation with developed countries.

“Nigeria is another African country where the infant mortality rate and maternal mortality ratio are in triple digits, compared to single digits in Europe. Mothers and babies are dying in our country,” he said.

“Most of these mortalities are tied to behaviours. This project is very appropriate.”
Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Afolabi Lesi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), said the university was proud to host the pioneering research hub.

“This project will succeed because it is multidisciplinary, has a national and Afrocentric outlook, and is built on strong partnerships,” Lesi said. “This is history in the making.”

UNICEF’s Chief of Social and Behavioural Change, Kshitij Joshi, added that the laboratory would also serve as a platform to generate evidence that directly guides policy decisions.

“The lab is a platform where people, students, the private sector, and even media can collaborate to unpack what drives Nigeria,” Joshi explained. “The Ministry of Health has even offered a dedicated space for policy briefs drawn from this research.”

On his part, the Provost of the College of Medicine, Prof. Ademola Oremosu, stressed that the initiative would broaden health research beyond hospitals to include social and cultural determinants.

“Our mothers’ practices, beliefs, and ethos all come into play,” he said. “Through the BIRD Lab, we can modify behaviours that lead to better outcomes for health, nutrition, and access to care.”

With Nigeria battling some of the world’s highest maternal and infant mortality rates, stakeholders said the BIRD Lab could provide the missing link between research, community behaviour, and government policy—potentially reshaping public health outcomes for millions.