Khadijah Aliyu -Nigeria
Biolinx Africa, YTO Foundation and Nextgen Molecular Lab have announced a landmark South-South partnership backed by a $3.5 million investment aimed at expanding genomics infrastructure and advancing precision medicine across Africa.
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The collaboration, which includes the acquisition of the NovaSeq X Plus sequencing platform, will initially focus on Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire as anchor countries for implementation.
The partnership was unveiled during a high-level roundtable titled “From Dialogue to Delivery: Building Africa’s Future in Genomics and Precision Medicine,” held on the sidelines of the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The session brought together genomics researchers, regulators, development finance institutions, investors and global health organisations to discuss challenges facing sustainable genomics infrastructure on the continent and explore practical solutions.
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According to the partners, the first phase of the initiative will focus on strengthening sequencing capacity, supporting African-led genomic data generation and analysis, and implementing a 24-month roadmap for genomics development in Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire.
The NovaSeq X Plus platform, developed by [Illumina](https://www.illumina.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com), is designed for large-scale sequencing applications and is expected to serve as a core component of the project’s infrastructure expansion.
Africa remains the most genetically diverse continent in the world, yet African populations continue to be underrepresented in global genomic studies and reference databases. Experts say this imbalance contributes to inaccurate diagnoses, misinterpreted findings and less effective treatments for African patients.
The partnership comes amid growing continental support for genomics and precision medicine. AUDA-NEPAD has identified genomics as a strategic scientific priority, while Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports that six African countries have launched national genomics strategies, with 11 others finalising plans for implementation.
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In February 2026, the World Health Organization Executive Board adopted a resolution urging greater investment in genomics, pharmacogenomics, laboratory systems, genomic databases and bioinformatics.
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Founder and Executive Director of Biolinx Africa, Dr. Robert Karanja, said the initiative represents a shift from discussions to practical implementation.
“Genomics in Africa has to move from conversation to capability. This partnership is about putting infrastructure, investment and African scientific leadership behind a practical delivery agenda,”
Founder of YTO Foundation and Clinical Molecular Geneticist, Prof. David Tea Okou, said the collaboration would help generate genomic data more relevant to African populations.
“African populations remain underrepresented in the genomic landscape that increasingly shapes prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research priorities. This partnership is about building local capacity and generating data that are more relevant to African patients,”
Chief Executive Officer of Nextgen Molecular Lab, Dr. George Michuki, highlighted the growing role of pharmacogenomics in personalised healthcare, particularly cancer treatment.
The announcement also highlighted the role of African scientific networks in fostering collaboration. Dr. Karanja and Prof. Tea Okou are both members of the African Voices of Science cohort, an initiative launched by Speak Up Africa in 2020 to amplify African researchers and support African-led health solutions.
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Co-Founder and Deputy Director of Speak Up Africa, Fara Ndiaye, said equitable healthcare systems cannot be built on datasets that fail to represent African populations.
The partners described the initiative as a long-term platform for advancing genomics and precision medicine in Africa, with plans to expand to additional countries as infrastructure and partnerships continue to grow.