The University of Lagos (UNILAG), in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has launched the Behavioural Insights Research and Design Laboratory (BIRDLab), marking a major step in reshaping child development policy and practice in Nigeria.
The laboratory, unveiled on Friday, August 22, 2025, at UNILAG’s College of Medicine, Idi-Araba, is the second of its kind in Africa, following Ethiopia’s establishment of a similar facility in 2022. The event drew academics, policymakers, development partners, students, and global behavioural science experts, underscoring Nigeria’s growing role in evidence-based policy innovation.
The initiative was developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the Network on Behavioural Research for Child Survival in Nigeria (NETBRECSIN), UNICEF, and UNILAG.
Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Professor Foluso Afolabi Lesi, described UNILAG as strategically positioned for the initiative, citing its 23 research centres, seven institutes, and eight innovation hubs, many of which are embedded in the College of Medicine.
Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor Ademola Oremosu, said the BIRDLab will play a transformative role in reducing child mortality and improving women’s health outcomes through early detection, targeted interventions, and informed policymaking.
Chairman of the occasion, Professor Ayo Osibogun, commended UNILAG’s leadership in innovation, calling the BIRDLab “a significant leap forward” in advancing Nigeria’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda. He noted that behavioural science provides powerful tools for designing smarter, people-centred policies.
Professor Adebayo Onajole, Chair of NETBRECSIN, described the laboratory as the outcome of months of careful planning and collective commitment, stressing its potential to foster learning and innovation.
Delivering remarks virtually, UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Ms. Wafaa Saeed, highlighted the lab’s three pillars: behavioural science, capacity building, and evidence-based solutions. She said the facility would serve as a practical learning and research hub, equipping students and professionals to address real-world development challenges.
Chief of Social and Behaviour Change at UNICEF, Mr. Kshitij Joshi, praised Nigeria for positioning behavioural science at the core of its development agenda, noting that the initiative strengthens the country’s influence in shaping global best practices in policy and programme design.
With 19 institutions already in the NETBRECSIN network, the BIRDLab is expected to drive interdisciplinary research, advance innovation, and improve outcomes in health, education, and child development across Nigeria and beyond.
