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Dr Chidozie Ike, Desk Officer for Research Integrity at Ambrose Alli University, has advised Nigerian policymakers to stop addressing only the visible effects of national challenges and instead focus on tackling their root causes.

Ike, speaking at the national EXCEL-RITE conference on Wednesday in Abuja on “Crafting Effective Research Policies and Guidelines,” stressed the need for data-driven, inclusive, and ethical policies that delivered long-term impact.

The conference, held in collaboration with the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) and the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), promotes ethical research across academia, government, and industry.

Ike highlighted Nigeria’s reliance on short-term fixes and reactive policies.

Using rice importation as an example, he said, “The solution isn’t just banning imports; it’s about improving the standards of local production.”

He introduced “problem tree analysis” as a tool to help policymakers uncover and address structural issues.

According to him, this method encourages a deeper look into the root causes behind persistent problems rather than just reacting to surface-level symptoms.

Citing repeated Lassa fever outbreaks, he explained that containment alone was not enough; instead, policies must also target underlying issues such as poor infrastructure and environmental conditions that enabled the disease to spread.

Warning against flawed or politically influenced research, Ike stressed the importance of credible data and community engagement.

“Policies designed in isolation often miss the real needs,” he said, urging collaboration among researchers, communities, and political actors.

He also advised against generic, one-size-fits-all policy guidelines, especially during crises like pandemics.

“Guidelines must be well-researched, adaptable, and clearly communicated,” he said.

Ike said that without long-term, research-driven solutions, we would continue addressing effects instead of solving the actual problems.