Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has commissioned the permanent site of the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre (BioRTC) at Yobe State University, Damaturu, describing the facility as a strategic response to the rising burden of chronic kidney disease across the state.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Thursday, January 29, 2026, Buni said the centre was established to develop sustainable, science-based solutions to the high incidence of kidney disease, particularly among communities located along the River Yobe.

He noted that the disease has, over the years, claimed many lives, imposed heavy financial pressure on families, and placed significant strain on the state’s healthcare system.

“This centre represents our resolve to confront kidney disease through evidence-based research rather than assumptions,” the governor said, adding that BioRTC will generate locally relevant data to uncover the root causes of the condition and guide effective policy decisions.

Buni disclosed that the state government invested more than ₦800 million in constructing the permanent facility as part of a broader effort to strengthen health research capacity and enhance disease surveillance.

He revealed that preliminary findings from ongoing research at the centre are already indicating a possible remote cause of kidney disease in the state, raising optimism for targeted prevention and treatment interventions.

The governor commended Professor Mahmoud Bukar Maina for leading the centre’s kidney disease research initiatives, noting that the professor donated laboratory equipment valued at over ₦10 billion to support advanced scientific investigations.

Buni explained that BioRTC’s research framework is tailored to Yobe State’s specific environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors, stressing that dependence on foreign medical research has often failed to adequately address Africa’s unique health challenges.

He recalled that in 2023, the state government engaged international partners in the United Kingdom to strengthen the centre’s nephrology research capacity, attracting support from global experts in epidemiology and kidney medicine.

According to the governor, BioRTC has since gained international recognition, with scientists from the Janelia Research Campus in the United States describing the centre as a model for building research capacity in underserved regions.

To complement research efforts, the governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving access to treatment for kidney disease patients, disclosing that the state currently provides free dialysis support and will establish an additional dialysis centre in Gashua this year to reduce travel-related hardship for patients.

He also appealed to the Federal Government to establish a Federal Kidney Disease Centre in Yobe State, citing the scale and persistence of the health challenge.

Beyond research and treatment, Governor Buni said BioRTC is also developing low-cost diagnostic tools that can support early detection of kidney-related complications at the community level, particularly in rural areas.

He urged the Federal Ministry of Health to partner with the centre to scale up open, low-cost diagnostic innovations, noting that early diagnosis remains a major gap in the management of kidney disease in northern Nigeria.

The governor further disclosed that over 1,000 health professionals, researchers, and students from Yobe State and across Africa have been trained through BioRTC’s capacity-building programmes, strengthening the local workforce needed to sustain kidney disease research and care.

Governor Buni also called on the Federal Ministry of Education and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to recognise BioRTC as a national research and training centre, which would enable expanded funding for kidney disease studies and specialist training.

He stressed that tackling kidney disease requires long-term investment in research, policy, and human capital, noting that BioRTC provides a platform to integrate all three.

The commissioning ceremony also featured the celebration of three Yobe State students: Nafisa Abdullahi, Hadiza Kashim Kalli, and Rukayya Mohammed Fema who won the 2025 TeenEagle World Championship in London. Governor Buni described their achievement as evidence that sustained investment in education and science can produce global results.

He announced full government scholarships up to tertiary level and a cash award of ₦10 million each for the students, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to human capital development as a foundation for addressing health challenges.

Governor Buni concluded by reiterating that the fight against kidney disease in Yobe State will remain a top priority of his administration, pledging continued support for BioRTC as a hub for research, innovation, and life-saving interventions. (The Nation)

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