Exploring allied health research capacity in Nigeria: a qualitative study of enablers and barriers

Allied health professionals are integral to patient care, yet in low- and middle-income countries, their capacity to engage in research to improve the evidence base of their services remains underdeveloped. In Nigeria, most studies on research capacity are physician-focused with only limited empirical evidence for allied health cadres. This study explored the lived experiences, motivations, institutional enablers, and systemic barriers influencing research capacity among allied health professionals in a Nigerian tertiary hospital. A qualitative descriptive study was undertaken at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. Six focus group discussions were conducted with pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, radiographers, physiotherapists, nurses, and paramedics, alongside four key informant interviews with departmental and unit heads. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Rigour was maintained by triangulating data sources, peer debriefing, reflexive journalling, and an audit trail. Six themes were identified: (i) research exposure and experience, largely confined to undergraduate projects with limited methodological competence; (ii) fragmented and inequitable access to training; (iii) weak departmental and institutional infrastructure including limited funding and translation pathways (iv) intrinsic motivation driven by professional growth and patient outcomes, yet undermined by workload and time pressures; (v) systemic barriers such as ethics delays, poor interprofessional collaboration, and resource constraints; and (vi) recommendations such as protected research time, internal micro-grants, structured mentorship, departmental research units, and improved access to quality journals. Although AHPs demonstrated strong intrinsic motivation, structural constraints at team and organisational levels limit research engagement. Institutional reforms that embed mentorship, protected time and modest internal funding are feasible first steps to strengthen AHP research capacity at the study site. Further research should include multisite studies that explore the generalizability of the findings at country level and implementation studies that test, refine and scale interventions that strengthen allied health research capacity and, ultimately, improve patient care.