The Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Innovation (CERHI), University of Benin, Nigeria is one of 18 awardees to receive equipment that will build scientific infrastructure to advance research and teaching from the 2020 Seeding Labs Instrumental Access.

The equipment were received by the CERHI management led by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor Lilian I. Salami, CERHI Centre Leader, Professor Friday Okonofua, among other members.

The Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Innovation (CERHI), is a World Bank supported African Centre of Excellence in the University of Benin. It was established in 2015 to build capacity for implementing high quality training and applied research in reproductive health. CERHI offers Masters, and PhD programmes in public health, nursing, reproductive health, and health economics. The Centre is accredited by the Agency for Public Health Education on Accreditation (APHEA), Belgium and the High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES), France.

The Centre currently collaborates with several departments in the Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences, Life Sciences, and Pharmacy in multidisciplinary research. Although CERHI Medical and Research Laboratory already has a decent array of laboratory equipment; the high-tech equipment received from the Seeding Labs Instrumental Access would facilitate research in the centre and university at large.

Seeding Labs is a Boston-based nonprofit organization aimed at building the capacity of scientists in conducting transformative researches. Through a coalition of more than 140 public and private sector partners, Seeding Labs provides scientists in developing nations with lab equipment, training, and opportunities to collaborate with experts in their field—and to use these vital resources to improve education, research, and economic development. This makes it possible for most budding researchers in low- and middle-income countries to conduct excellent research in their home country.