University of Lagos (UNILAG) has inaugurated a new Behavioural Insights Research and Design Laboratory (BIRD-Lab), aimed at advancing child and maternal well-being and development programming in Nigeria.

The initiative, domiciled at the institution’s College of Medicine, Idi-Araba, in partnership with the Network of Behavioural Research for Child Survival in Nigeria (NETBRECSIN), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and other development partners, is designed as a collaborative hub for testing innovations and scaling behavioural science solutions.

At least 19 universities, including UNILAG, University of Ibadan, University of Maiduguri, Bayero University, Lagos State University, University of Nigeria, University of Abuja, Chrisland University, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Benin, and University of Jos, have been earmarked for the project.

Speaking at the launch, UNICEF’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms Wafa Saeed, emphasised the importance of the research hub to Nigeria, saying it was a platform to address issues of child mortality.

She said the mandate of UNICEF was to support member states and communities to ensure children are not only getting the best start in life, but also reaching their full potential as they grow into adulthood. Saeed observed that understanding how humans think, decide, and act is essential to achieving UNICEF’s mandate.

Similarly, the Deputy Country Representative, UNICEF Nigeria, Rownak Khan, said BIRD-Lab is dear to the heart of UNICEF because of its expected impact, especially on children and women.

Shedding more light on the project, UNICEF’s Chief of Social Behaviour Change, Kshitij Joshi, described BIRD-Lab as more than a facility, but an approach uniting universities, civil society, media, and the private sector to understand behaviours.

The UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, expressed confidence in the project’s success, citing three key reasons. Ogunsola, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development Services), Prof Afolabi Lesi, said the project would succeed, not only because it is multidisciplinary, but because it had a national outlook and government involvement.