Expanding African biodiversity genomics to meet global biodiversity goals

The African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) is a pan-African initiative focusing on improving food systems and conservation through genomics and ensuring the sharing of data and benefits. The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) aims to protect and restore biodiversity, including by ensuring its sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits. AfricaBP’s objectives and activities align with the goals of the GBF. However, implementing genomics research across Africa faces challenges resulting from ethical, legal and social implications. In this Roadmap, we explore the alignment between AfricaBP and the GBF, and outline how genomics research can be expanded while meeting GBF goals and international policy obligations. We present a theory of change that identifies five thematic areas for action, and examine relevant challenges related to the ethical, legal and social implications. In response to these challenges, we make recommendations, highlight AfricaBP’s activities and identify intermediate outcomes towards achieving GBF goals. Addressing challenges across Africa requires developing clear policy and legal frameworks, implementing transparent monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and ensuring interoperability of key regulatory conservation instruments. Strengthening biodiversity data infrastructure, raising awareness of access and benefit-sharing and digital sequence information frameworks, ensuring gender representation, and including Indigenous Peoples and local communities at every stage of development and implementation will also be essential. Meeting the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goals in Africa relies on scaling up genomics research and digital sequence information infrastructure across the continent. This Roadmap presents the African BioGenome Project’s theory of change, which identifies challenges and makes recommendations for actions to improve genomics research while meeting global biodiversity goals.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Reviews Biodiversity
Published
2026-03-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44358-026-00143-3
Primary Topic
Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Expanding African biodiversity genomics to meet global biodiversity goals

Ichrak Hayah, Kassahun Tesfaye, Sally Mueni Katee, Achraf El Allali et al.
Nature Reviews Biodiversity
Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical Research
article

Expanding African biodiversity genomics to meet global biodiversity goals

Ichrak Hayah, Kassahun Tesfaye, Sally Mueni Katee, Achraf El Allali, Richard Osei-Amponsah, Girish Beedessee, Bouabid Badaoui, E. H. Kwon-Ndung, S. C. Eziuzor, ThankGod E. Ebenezer, Anne W. T. Muigai, Justin E. Ideozu, Sadye Paez, Marietjie Botes, Julien A. Nguinkal, Chukwuike Ebuzome, Denye Nathaniel Ogeh, Sizwe Innocent Ndlovu, Chigoziem Ruth Torty, Sadik Muzemil, Semir Bechir Suheil Gaouar, Hawwa Gabier, Fatu J. Badiane Markey, Abdoallah Sharaf, Varsha Nagaraj Shetty
article en

Abstract

The African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) is a pan-African initiative focusing on improving food systems and conservation through genomics and ensuring the sharing of data and benefits. The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) aims to protect and restore biodiversity, including by ensuring its sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits. AfricaBP’s objectives and activities align with the goals of the GBF. However, implementing genomics research across Africa faces challenges resulting from ethical, legal and social implications. In this Roadmap, we explore the alignment between AfricaBP and the GBF, and outline how genomics research can be expanded while meeting GBF goals and international policy obligations. We present a theory of change that identifies five thematic areas for action, and examine relevant challenges related to the ethical, legal and social implications. In response to these challenges, we make recommendations, highlight AfricaBP’s activities and identify intermediate outcomes towards achieving GBF goals. Addressing challenges across Africa requires developing clear policy and legal frameworks, implementing transparent monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and ensuring interoperability of key regulatory conservation instruments. Strengthening biodiversity data infrastructure, raising awareness of access and benefit-sharing and digital sequence information frameworks, ensuring gender representation, and including Indigenous Peoples and local communities at every stage of development and implementation will also be essential. Meeting the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goals in Africa relies on scaling up genomics research and digital sequence information infrastructure across the continent. This Roadmap presents the African BioGenome Project’s theory of change, which identifies challenges and makes recommendations for actions to improve genomics research while meeting global biodiversity goals.

Nature Reviews Biodiversity
University of Port Harcourt (NG), Ain Shams University (EG), Mohammed V University (MA), University of Ghana (GH), University of British Columbia (CA), University of Liverpool (GB), University of Cape Town (ZA), University of Konstanz (DE), Delta State University (NG), University of Abou Bekr Belkaïd (DZ), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (KE), University College Cork (IE), North-West University (ZA), University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (NG), Africa Center (US), Federal University Lafia (NG), Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (DE), Northumbria University (GB), University of Warwick (GB), Infant (IE), Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (ET), Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (MA), National Defence College Kenya (KE), Florida Cancer Care (US), Addis Ababa University (ET), International Livestock Research Institute (KE), Okanagan University College (CA), Rockefeller University (US), Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (DE), University of KwaZulu-Natal (ZA)
Openalex Percentile: Top 13%
Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical Research
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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