A landmark African-led genomics partnership backed by a $3.5 million investment has been launched in Nairobi, Kenya, with stakeholders describing it as a major step toward expanding precision medicine and genomic research across the continent.

The partnership, involving Biolinx Africa, YTO Foundation and Nextgen Molecular Lab, was unveiled during the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026 in Nairobi.

At the centre of the collaboration is the acquisition of a NovaSeq X Plus sequencing platform, described by stakeholders as a production-scale system capable of supporting large-scale genomic sequencing and analysis.

According to the partners, the initiative will initially focus on Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, where efforts will be directed at building sequencing infrastructure, strengthening African-led genomic data generation, and implementing a 24-month roadmap for precision medicine development.

Speaking at the launch, Founder and Executive Director of Biolinx Africa, Dr Robert Karanja, said Africa must transition from discussions about genomics to practical delivery.

“Genomics in Africa has to move from conversation to capability. This partnership is about putting infrastructure, investment and African scientific leadership behind a practical delivery agenda,” he said.

Clinical Molecular Geneticist and Founder of YTO Foundation, Prof. David Tea Okou, stressed the need for more African representation in global genomic studies.

“African populations remain underrepresented in the genomic landscape that increasingly shapes prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research priorities,” he noted.

He added that building local capacity and generating more relevant data would help improve healthcare outcomes for African patients.

Chief Executive Officer of Nextgen Molecular Lab, Dr George Michuki, said pharmacogenomics could significantly improve cancer care and treatment response across the continent.

“We are seeing how pharmacogenomics can help explain differences in treatment response and support more personalised cancer care,” he said.

Experts at the event highlighted that Africa possesses the world’s greatest human genetic diversity, yet remains significantly underrepresented in global genomic databases and studies.

They warned that the lack of African genomic data contributes to inaccurate diagnoses, misinterpreted findings and less effective treatments for many African populations.

The initiative also received backing from Speak Up Africa through its African Voices of Science (AVoS) network, which connected some of the project’s leaders.

Co-Founder and Deputy Director of Speak Up Africa, Fara Ndiaye, said Africa could not build equitable health systems using data that does not adequately represent its populations.

She called for stronger investment and political commitment to support African-led scientific innovation and genomics infrastructure.

The partners say the long-term ambition is to expand the initiative beyond Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire as infrastructure and collaborations mature across the continent.