s44358-026-00143-3.pdf

Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 258 nature reviews biodiversity Roadmap https://doi.org/10.1038/s44358-026-00143-3 Check for updates Expanding African biodiversity genomics to meet global biodiversity goals Sally Mueni Katee    1,31  , Marietjie Botes2,31  , Ichrak Hayah    3,4, Varsha Nagaraj Shetty5, Emmanuel Hala Kwon-Ndung    6, Girish Beedessee    7, Sadye Paez8, Sizwe Innocent Ndlovu    9, Bouabid Badaoui3,10, Semir Bechir Suheil Gaouar    11, Sadik Muzemil12,13, Denye Nathaniel Ogeh14, Abdoallah Sharaf    15,16, Kassahun Tesfaye    17,18, Chukwuike Ebuzome19, Richard Osei-Amponsah    20, Chigoziem Ruth Torty    21, Hawwa Gabier22, Samuel C. Eziuzor    23, Fatu J. Badiane Markey24  , Julien Alban Nguinkal25, Achraf El Allali    26  , Anne W. T. Muigai    27,28, Justin E. Ideozu29 & ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer    30  Abstract The African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) is a pan-African initiative focusing on improving food systems and conservation through genomics and ensuring the sharing of data and benefits. The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) aims to protect and restore biodiversity, including by ensuring its sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits. AfricaBP’s objectives and activities align with the goals of the GBF. However, implementing genomics research across Africa faces challenges resulting from ethical, legal and social implications. In this Roadmap, we explore the alignment between AfricaBP and the GBF, and outline how genomics research can be expanded while meeting GBF goals and international policy obligations. We present a theory of change that identifies five thematic areas for action, and examine relevant challenges related to the ethical, legal and social implications. In response to these challenges, we make recommendations, highlight AfricaBP’s activities and identify intermediate outcomes towards achieving GBF goals. Addressing challenges across Africa requires developing clear policy and legal frameworks, implementing transparent monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and ensuring interoperability of key regulatory conservation instruments. Strengthening biodiversity data infrastructure, raising awareness of access and benefit-sharing and digital s­eq­ue­nce i­nf­or­ma­tion frameworks, ensuring gender representation, and including Indigenous Peoples and local communities at every stage of development and implementation will also be essential. Sections Introduction The AfricaBP theory of change Delivering the GBF goals through the AfricaBP ToC Summary and future directions A full list of affiliations appears at the end of the paper.  e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 259 Roadmap In this Roadmap, we describe the AfricaBP theory of change (T oC), which outlines five thematic areas for action to advance biodiversity genomics and deliver the GBF goals in Africa. We discuss alignment between the aims of AfricaBP and the GBF goals, and present the chal- lenges, recommendations, relevant AfricaBP activities, and interme- diate outcomes for each thematic area. We explore how AfricaBP can be leveraged by African organizations, policymakers and funders for continent-wide implementation of the GBF , and the role of national, regional and international organizations in achieving this aim. The AfricaBP theory of change T o support scientifically robust and policy-relevant expansion of bio- diversity genomics across Africa, AfricaBP developed the T oC. The T oC provides a structured framework for translating the GBF into genomics-enabled actions (actions that are informed and supported by genomics research, technology and infrastructure), while also identifying the enabling conditions required to ensure that genom- ics research advances biodiversity conservation, sustainable use, and fair and equitable benefit-sharing (Supplementary Tables S2–S4 and Supplementary Fig. S4). Developing the T oC AfricaBP’s T oC was developed as an implementation-oriented plan - ning tool that links AfricaBP’s activities to desired outcomes under the GBF , while also addressing ELSI that might constrain or enable progress. The T oC was shaped through AfricaBP’s stakeholder engage- ments and its internal governance structures, including the ELSI subcommittee, which had a central role in identifying governance bottlenecks, regulatory gaps, and equity considerations that affect the use of genetic resources and DSI across African contexts24. Rather than being limited to GBF implementation alone, the T oC also serves as a broader strategy for strengthening Africa’s genomics ecosys - tem to enhance scientific capacity, data sovereignty and long-term institutional sustainability. The T oC identifies five thematic areas for action, selected to reflect the most important recurring challenges and enabling conditions for genomics-enabled biodiversity outcomes in Africa. These thematic areas are: legal and ethical frameworks; genomics and DSI infrastruc- tures; inclusion and gender; conflicting priorities; and transparency, monitoring and mainstreaming. Each thematic area is defined through a consistent logic model that links key challenges, including limited regulatory interoperability, absence of federated DSI infrastruc - tures, gender imbalance in DSI research, and conservation–poverty trade-offs, to practical recommendations, relevant stakeholders, and example AfricaBP activities. Progress is evaluated through AfricaBP’s contributions to the intermediate outcome associated with each the- matic area, allowing AfricaBP to assess and evaluate implementation over time and to support adaptive governance through transparent reporting mechanisms (Fig. 2). Alignment with the GBF The aims of the AfricaBP T oC align closely with the GBF’s overarching goals of conserving biodiversity, ensuring its sustainable use, and ena- bling fair and equitable benefit-sharing25. The thematic area on legal and ethical frameworks supports the GBF’s emphasis on rights-based and legally compliant biodiversity governance, including the strength- ening of ABS systems and emerging DSI-related obligations26. These aims directly advance GBF commitments relating to equitable benefit-sharing and improved governance implementation. Introduction Africa hosts vast biological diversity across a range of ecological hotspots1–4. However, the continent currently faces huge biodiver- sity losses of endemic species driven by adverse human activities and climate change5. Expanding genetics and genomics research and gov- ernance across Africa in alignment with global conservation policies is integral to mitigating threats to biodiversity and to reducing and reversing these losses. Preservation of genetic diversity, sustainable use of biodiversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources are core aims of global conservation policy6–8. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which includes 54 African countries9, has developed specific protocols and agreements to achieve these aims, including the Cartagena Protocol10, the Nagoya Protocol11, the landmark Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
(GBF)12, and a multilateral mechanism for benefit-sharing from the use of digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources7,12 (Fig. 1). A global fund (the Cali Fund) has also been established to facilitate benefit-sharing via this multilateral mechanism. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) is complementary to the CBD, and provides a multilateral system of access and benefit-sharing (ABS) for certain plant genetic resources13 (Fig. 1). The GBF outlines global conservation priorities in four goals for 2050 and 23 targets to be achieved by 2030. Each of the four goals has relevance for genetics and genomics research and governance, as they include safeguarding genetic diversity within populations of wild and domesticated species (goal A); sustainable use and management of biodiversity (goal B); equitable and fair sharing of monetary and non-monetary benefits from the utilization of genetic resources and DSI on genetic resources (goal C); and access to adequate financial resources, capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation, and technology to fully implement the GBF for all Parties to the CBD, especially developing country Parties (goal D) 12,14 (Table 1). Achiev- ing these objectives in Africa and ensuring alignment with support - ing policy, such as the Nagoya Protocol, faces multiple challenges in addressing the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of imple - menting genetics and genomics conservation research15–22, including developing legal and ethical frameworks, overcoming infrastructure limitations, and balancing conservation with competing national and regional priorities. Target 13 of the GBF also focuses on increasing benefit-sharing from the use of DSI on genetic resources. DSI is a placeholder termi - nology under the CBD and refers to the genetic and/or biochemical composition of genetic resources such as nucleic acids and macromol- ecules, as well as observational data that provide contextual informa- tion such as taxonomy, gene expression, ecological relationships and modalities of use23. The African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) is a pan-African initia- tive that aims to sequence the genomes of 100,000 African endemic species to improve food systems, conservation, and the sharing of data and benefits14. AfricaBP coordinates scientists, policymakers, and insti- tutions across Africa and has established a governance structure with expert input across multiple domains. Notably, the ELSI subcommittee ensures that research conducted under AfricaBP adheres to legal and ethical frameworks, particularly in the context of benefit-sharing and protecting Africa’s traditional knowledge systems and Indigenous com- munities. The ELSI subcommittee also provides support to AfricaBP through legal expertise, capacity- building and strengthening, and mainstreaming of ELSI in AfricaBP’s activities. Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 260 Roadmap The thematic area on genomics and DSI infrastructure aligns with GBF targets focused on strengthening scientific knowledge, capacity-building, technology transfer and biodiversity monitoring systems27. By supporting in-country sequencing capacity, federated DSI infrastructures and interoperable data systems, the T oC opera - tionalizes the GBF’s recognition that biodiversity protection increas- ingly depends on high-quality genomic knowledge and accessible data. The inclusion and gender thematic area reflects the GBF’s empha- sis on equity and participation, including strengthening gender repre- sentation and ensuring meaningful involvement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities28. The thematic area on conflicting priorities responds directly to the GBF’s requirement that biodiversity objec - tives be integrated with development priorities 29, recognizing the practical tensions between conservation goals and food security or poverty-reduction imperatives in many African settings30. Finally, the thematic area of transparency, monitoring and mainstreaming aligns with the GBF’s focus on accountability, reporting and integration of bio- diversity objectives into national strategies and action plans31. Across all five thematic areas, the AfricaBP T oC provides a coherent framework for scaling genomics research while ensuring that implementation
remains aligned with GBF goals and targets. Delivering the GBF goals through the AfricaBP ToC African researchers, policymakers and the CBD should consider the AfricaBP T oC for effective implementation of the GBF across Africa (Fig. 2) (see Box 1 for cross-cutting priorities and AfricaBP’s key role). Across its five thematic areas, the T oC identifies challenges in achieving the GBF goals, makes recommendations to overcome these challenges, outlines previous and future contributions from AfricaBP, and describes intermediate outcomes that indicate progress towards meeting
GBF objectives. Legal and ethical frameworks Challenges. The shortage of both clear and comprehensive legal frameworks for biodiversity conservation and the tools for their imple- mentation is a major challenge in Africa33–36 (Supplementary Table S1, case study 5). This challenge is reflected in the uneven implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, for which some countries have developed the required operational legal and administrative frameworks and ABS guidelines for genetic resources, some are just beginning the process, and others are unresponsive to communications and do not participate in capacity-building and capacity-strengthening activities37 (Supplementary Note S1 and Supplementary Figs. S1–S3). For example, when questioned by AfricaBP on legal frameworks, three-quarters of International biodiversity instruments Regional mechanisms and initiatives National mechanisms Implementation and outcomes Convention on Biological Diversity • Cartagena Protocol • Nagoya Protocol • Ku nming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework IPBES International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture African Union Guideline for the Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol African Model Law on Access and Bene/f.shortit-Sharing African Union Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA 2024) African BioGenome Project • Ethics, Legal and Societal Issues Subcommittee • Open Institute & Communication and Public Affairs Subcommittee African Group of Negotiators Competent National Authorities National biodiversity strategies and action plans National access and bene/f.shortit-sharing laws and policies Available data for national decision-makers for the implementation of international instruments National digital sequence information infrastructure and data repositories Increased capacity to generate, study, analyse and store DSI Interoperability and harmonization of regulatory instruments Awareness creation on DSI Fig. 1 | Global and regional biodiversity governance instruments relevant to the African BioGenome Project and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Various instruments and mechanisms govern and operationalize sustainable use of biodiversity as well as access and benefit- sharing. The key treaties, protocols and initiatives can be grouped into three domains — global frameworks (including sector-specific instruments such as the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture), regional African mechanisms, and national mechanisms. Goals and obligations set by global frameworks inform African policy implementation mechanisms established by policy bodies (such as the African Union and African Group of Negotiators) and the African community of practice and initiatives on digital sequence information (DSI; for example, the African BioGenome Project). These policies, practices and initiatives feed into national implementation mechanisms and outcomes. IPBES, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 261 Roadmap participants from stakeholder countries reported having laws protect- ing Indigenous Peoples and local communities, whereas the presence of policies on genome sequencing and species management varied widely (Supplementary Fig. S1 and Supplementary Note S1; see also Supplementary Table S1, case study 3), highlighting diverse regula - tory maturity and priorities38,39. Notably, adoption of DSI-specific ABS policies remains limited as only one-quarter of countries reported such regulations, suggesting a critical area for policy enhancement — particularly following decisions at the CBD Conference of the Parties 15 (COP15) and COP16. Goals B and C of the GBF recognize the interconnectedness of bio- diversity conservation, sustainable use and equitable benefit-sharing. The GBF has established an agreed multilateral mechanism for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of DSI on genetic resources, together with a dedicated global financial mecha- nism, the Cali Fund, to support implementation of goal C and target 13 (refs. 12,40) (Table 1). Although this agreement is an important norma- tive milestone, challenges remain in operationalizing the mechanism, particularly for biodiversity-rich developing regions such as Africa, both in relation to benefit-sharing obligations and the effective receipt and deployment of benefits. Implementation challenges for benefit-sharing include establish- ing workable systems to identify and report DSI use across databases and scientific publications, clarifying compliance expectations for users operating across jurisdictions, and aligning existing national ABS frameworks with the global multilateral approach 41 (Supple - mentary Table S1, case study 6) while maintaining open access to DSI for research 12,40. For benefit-receiving, many African countries face constraints related to institutional readiness, including limited administrative capacity to access and manage multilateral finance, limited coordination between CBD National Focal Points (NFPs), Com- petent National Authorities (CNAs), and science and finance minis - tries, and the absence of clearly articulated national strategies linking Cali Fund inflows to national biodiversity strategies and action plan (NBSAP) priorities, genomics and bioinformatics infrastructure, and capacity-building needs40. As of November 2025, only US $ 1,000 in contributions have so far been made to the Cali Fund 42. Ongoing debates concern the vol - untary nature of contributions, proposed contribution thresholds, administrative burden for users, and the adequacy of governance and accountability arrangements. Addressing these implementation challenges, particularly the development of credible identification and reporting architectures, national readiness to receive and deploy funds, and the creation of meaningful incentives for compliance, will be crucial to ensuring that the multilateral mechanism and Cali Fund advance the GBF’s benefit-sharing objectives rather than reproducing existing asymmetries in access to data, infrastructure, and downstream benefits40. The GBF and multilateral mechanism place obligations on DSI generators, users and databases 40 but the obligations of scientific journals — the primary medium for DSI research dissemination and awareness — remain unclear. Recommendations. Ensuring compliance at the stage of DSI gen - eration and dissemination of research findings is key to maximizing GBF compliance. Multistakeholder collaborations with DSI research organizations and dissemination platforms within Africa and globally are required to maximize awareness and enable compliance with GBF goal C and decision 16/2. Infrastructural investments in human genom- ics generation have already been made across Africa43, and maximizing Table 1 | The AfricaBP is key to enabling implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goals and targets at the genetic and digital sequence information level across Africa CBD goal CBD goal description CBD targets AfricaBP-aligned targets Descriptions of AfricaBP-aligned targets AfricaBP theory of change aims Goal A Reducing threats to biodiversity 1–8 4 & 8 Halt human-induced extinction of threatened species Minimize the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on biodiversity Improve conservation by increasing our understanding of the genetic diversity of African indigenous and endemic species through genomics and digital sequence information infrastructures Goal B Meeting people’s needs through sustainable use and management of biodiversity 9–12 10 Ensure that areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry are managed sustainably Improve food systems through genomics and bioinformatics Goal C Monetary and non-monetary benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and digital sequence information 13 13 Take effective legal, policy, administrative and capacity-building measures at all levels to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits that arise from the utilization of genetic resources Improve data-sharing and benefit-sharing Goal D Tools and solutions for implementation and mainstreaming 14–23 20–23 Strengthen capacity-building and development, access to and transfer of technology Ensure that the best available data, information and knowledge are accessible to decision makers Ensure the full, equitable, inclusive, effective and gender-responsive representation and participation in decision-making Ensure gender equality in the implementation of the framework through a gender-responsive approach Enable knowledge exchange, socio-economic impact, technology transfer and commercialization through the AfricaBP Open Institute for Genomics and Bioinformatics AfricaBP, African BioGenome Project; CBD, Convention on Biological Diversity. Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 262 Roadmap these investments and adapting to biodiversity genetic resources and DSI is important. Scientific journals and genomics organizations with existing human genomics or non-GBF ethics frameworks require guidance and support to extend their policies to biodiversity genetic resources and DSI, integrating them into core operations. This includes establishing ethics committees and organizational policies aligned with the Nagoya Protocol, GBF and national frameworks. Establish - ing ethics committees and policies aligned with GBF will increase the chances of compliance by researchers and ensure that research emanating (or being disseminated) from such organizations receives the required in-house compliance guidance. For example, mandatory ethics requirements by the reviewers and editors at a scientific journal have built awareness and enabled compliance with relevant regulatory requirements for the bird group greenbuls44,45. T o strengthen global compliance with the Nagoya Protocol and GBF , scientific journals should make ethics disclosures mandatory prior to publication of genetic resources and DSI (Box 2). These ethics disclo- sures should contain ABS application approval identification numbers from the relevant CNA or present written evidence of compliance engagement with ABS NFPs. In four sequenced genomes of endemic African plant species published in the past 5 years 46–49, for example, ethics declarations for plant species were not explicitly mandated Africa BioGenome Project theory of change Thematic areas Intermediate outcomes Legal and ethical frameworks Genomics and DSI infrastructures Inclusion and gender Con/f.shortlicting priorities Transparency, monitoring and mainstreaming Challenges Recommendations Stakeholders Example AfricaBP activities Unclear national frameworks and limited interoperability Increase awareness, training, policy, ethics and cooperation National institutions; African Union; AfricaBP Regulatory engagements; ELSI guidance; ethical consultative services; public engagement and awareness Absence of federated DSI infrastructure Strengthen DSI capacity and infrastructure National, regional, sub-regional and global institutions; private sector; operators of private and public DSI databases; AfricaBP Enabling local DSI generation and analysis; establishing road map for the African DSI Data Bank Gender imbalance of DSI researchers Promote inclusive governance and gender diversity National, regional and sub-regional institutions; AfricaBP Organizing gender-diverse workshops; establishing committee memberships and fellowships with gender-diverse targets Biodiversity conservation and poverty-reduction trade-offs, capacity-building misconceptions Inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in biodiversity governance National and global institutions; private sector; Indigenous Peoples; local communities; NGOs: AfricaBP Promoting DSI integration into national bioeconomy strategies and initiation of local-/f.shortirst national biodiversity genomics projects Aligning national ABS with GBF Resourcing NBSAPs, and inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities National and global institutions; operators of private and public DSI databases; AfricaBP Capturing ethical compliance statements in DSI research publications and advocating for true Open Science • Empowered local communities and regional scienti/f.shortic communities, and built trust with CNAs • DSI sovereignty and gender diversity across biodiversity governance levels • Coordinated national implementation through NBSAPs and regional alignments • Built con/f.shortidence with policymakers, NFPs and local communities, and harmonized ethical compliance Sustainable use and fair and equitable bene/f.shortit-sharing of Africa's biodiversity through genomics, aligned with the GBF goals • Establish AfricaBP ELSI awards and AfricaBP ELSI guide to drive genome publications • Engage journals to update ethics policy in line with GBF and DSI, implementing African DSI Data Bank road map, and increase in local DSI generation, analysis, use and storage • Increase in adoption of gender-sensitive policies by institutions, and maintain gender-diverse committee memberships and fellowship awards • Publish at least one economic and one bieconomy-related article • In/f.shortluence compliance with GBF beyond journal requirements Evaluating AfricaBP’s progress Cross-cutting priorities • Honesty • Research and data sharing practices • Relationship with CNAs • Multi-partner involvements and investments • Funding practices that supports GBF-/f.shortirst strategy Fig. 2 | AfricaBP T oC for implementing the GBF across Africa. The African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) theory of change (T oC) is structured around five key thematic areas that require action to meet Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) goals for genomics and genetics research, access and benefit-sharing (ABS), and digital sequence information (DSI). For each thematic area, challenges, recommendations and major stakeholders are identified, and example AfricaBP activities contributing towards respective recommendations are provided. The T oC outlines intermediate outcomes towards achieving GBF goals, and mechanisms for evaluating AfricaBP’s progress towards these outcomes and implementing the GBF . Cross-cutting priorities that apply across the T oC are also described. See Supplementary Fig. S4 for comprehensive details and Supplementary Tables S2–S4 for further details regarding additional recommendations, relevant stakeholders and evaluating AfricaBP progress. CNAs, Competent National Authorities; ELSI, ethical, legal and social implications; NBSAPs, national biodiversity strategies and action plans; NFPs, National Focal Points; NGO, non-governmental organizations. Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 263 Roadmap by the publishing journals50–52. Plant genome publications could bet- ter benefit Africa if ethics declaration statements were included, as this would ensure that African countries, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities receive the necessary non-monetary and monetary benefits required to enable technology transfer, build and strengthen capacity, improve conservation, and mainstream research outputs and outcomes efforts into national conservation priorities. Although researchers often express willingness to comply with ABS and permit regulations, application processes in some African countries can be perceived as complex, fragmented and time-intensive. These adminis- trative barriers can contribute to instances of non-compliance, which underscores the need for collaborative efforts to streamline regulatory procedures, improve transparency, and strengthen support for both researchers and regulatory authorities. Importantly, such challenges should not diminish the obligation to respect and uphold the national regulatory frameworks of sovereign nations. Generative and synthetic DSI rely on stable electricity, computa- tional power and high-maintenance infrastructure, which are limited in many African countries. Developing portable and modular systems will advance these fields across Africa, maximizing local competitive- ness, use and contributions to the global scientific ecosystem (see Supplementary Table S2 for additional recommendations and Supple- mentary Table S3 for relevant stakeholders and their responsibilities under this thematic area). AfricaBP activities. AfricaBP brings together African researchers and global partners to advance biodiversity genomics and bioinformatics, while advocating for African perspectives on ABS in line with the GBF . These collaborations leverage AfricaBP’s generated data and technical expertise on DSI. AfricaBP furnishes ELSI support to its members, part- ners and participating African institutions and researchers by providing a practical guide to accessing and sharing biodiversity material and data54, designing and developing material and data transfer agree - ment templates, providing ethical consultation services, facilitating engagements between African DSI researchers, ABS NFPs, and CNAs on the GBF , and highlighting these in genome research publications53. For example, AfricaBP will be launching the African Congress on Digital Sequence Information, Infrastructure Development and Policy (Afri- can Congress on DSI), a regional platform to be organized jointly with the relevant CNAs and held four times a year across each Afri - can geographic region to power African DSI infrastructures through deeper policy discourse and engagements. Capacity-building and capacity-strengthening are central to AfricaBP’s strategy. Through its Open Institute, a knowledge exchange platform, AfricaBP promotes awareness and skills in bioinformatics, genomics, and ELSI24,55,56, maxi- mizing awareness and uptake of genetics resources and DSI initiatives (see Supplementary Note S3 for details on the AfricaBP Communica- tions and Public Affairs strategies). Since 2022, AfricaBP has organized over 100 workshops across 12 African countries, including Cameroon and Algeria, engaging over 60 organizations, and training more than 1,300 African researchers on hands-on DSI generation, analysis, and ELSI24,55–57. The AfricaBP Open Institute and its regional workshop model inspired the establishment of the Biodiversity Genomics Academy, an open, online training academy developed by the Sanger Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK, for the global Earth BioGenome Project58. AfricaBP plans to advance its regional workshop activities using two approaches. The first approach is to increase the num - ber of regional workshop sponsors. AfricaBP currently assembles 62 sponsors to train around 545 Africans per year 57 but aims to train over 4,000 Africans per year in the future. This increase will require more sponsors or increased funding to develop low-maintenance, electricity-independent and portable tools, for example, through hackathons, that solve specific genomics and bioinformatics problems in Africa. Increased training will improve awareness and foundational exposures to genomics and bioinformatics for more African research- ers, and will provide further benefits as the AfricaBP workshops are both a pipeline for early-to-mid-career and established researchers to engage with AfricaBP and a forum for fostering partnerships between local institutions, international partners, and AfricaBP (Supplemen - tary Table S6). Second, during its regional workshops, AfricaBP aims to initiate the ‘ELSI Competitions and Awards’ , which will recognize outstanding work in the ethical, legal, and social aspects of genetic and DSI research across Africa in the previous 12 months. These awards will Box 1 | Responsible and transparent communications are key to achieving Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goals

The African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) is a key stakeholder in its theory of change (ToC), has regional convening and capacity-building and capacity-strengthening roles, and supports the work of national and subregional stakeholders through technical guidance, advocacy, and research-driven frameworks developed under its project workstreams, Open Institute, and ethical, legal and social implications subcommittee (Figs. 1, 3 and Supplementary Table S1). For the AfricaBP ToC to succeed, actions must reflect words through consistency, honesty, accountability and responsible communications by relevant stakeholders (Fig. 2). Open Science should not be interpreted as unrestricted access and reuse but as accountable, flexible, responsible, and transparent sharing of digital sequence information, supported by monitoring, reporting, and fair benefit-sharing (see Transparency, monitoring and mainstreaming). Navigating research and grant funding practices across Africa and globally, as well as working with Competent National Authorities to digitize access and benefit-sharing, national biodiversity strategy and action plans, and Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provisions, will maximize efficiencies, build trust, and speed up processes (Fig. 2). Funding agencies should capture costings for access and benefit-sharing negotiations and obligations as well as permits and ethics approvals in their funding awards to maximize compliance with national frameworks. Although AfricaBP’s approach addresses the ethical, legal and social implications challenges specific to Africa, many identified issues, such as gaps in genomic infrastructure, lack of benefit-sharing mechanisms, and uneven regulatory capacity, are shared by other biodiversity-rich regions such as Latin America and Southeast Asia. Initiatives like the Latin American Open Biodiversity Initiative and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Centre for Biodiversity report similar capacity disparities and call for regional data repositories and clearer DSI access and use frameworks32. Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 264 Roadmap recognize and honour genetic resources and DSI-related and research articles that show strong compliance with national frameworks and thoughtfully address ELSI issues such as informed consent, data own- ership, benefit-sharing, Indigenous rights, and policy development. Beyond publications, the awards will also recognize meaningful train- ing programmes, community engagement efforts, policy briefs, and practical tools that help to build local capacity and promote respon- sible research practices. AfricaBP aims to establish up to five awards per year, corresponding to one per African geographical region, which will also support ethical acquisition and sharing of biological materi- als and data, including adhering to best practices in line with national frameworks (Supplementary Table S6). From late 2021 to 2022, the AfricaBP monthly roundtable meetings with African ABS NFPs from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Nigeria and Liberia, alongside specialists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute (UK) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) CBD (Canada), identified regu- latory needs, promoted regional cooperation, and supported policy awareness on the CBD and GBF , particularly in addressing common challenges related to biodiversity conservation and food security (see Supplementary Table S4, row 1 for evaluating AfricaBP’s progress). Intermediate outcomes. Over a 10-year period, increasing the num- ber of African researchers from 350 to 1,400 per million people, or closer to the global average, will grow the pool of dynamic thinkers (see Supplementary Table S1, case studies 1 and 2) who will contribute to the DSI discourse and ensure that African voices are represented, enabling a culture-shift at both individual and organizational levels. For example, a technical African researcher could approach genomics and bioinformatics problems through a GBF-first research strategy. Additionally, AfricaBP anticipates increased collaborations and part- nerships (including a signed memorandum of understanding) with CNAs. These memoranda of understanding will help to build stronger relationships with CNAs, creating an avenue for coordination and collaboration on national regulatory frameworks, DSI generation, use, sharing landscape, and making DSI research findings available to CNAs, thereby meeting goals C and D. By establishing ethics policies and statements, organizations and journals will begin institutionalizing their commitments under the GBF . These actions will encourage organizations to employ GBF and ABS subject matter experts to continuously guide access and sharing of genetic materials and DSI, allowing researchers to focus on the science that fulfils GBF goals A and B. Over a 10-year period, this insti- tutionalization process will increase compliance with the GBF within Africa. Additionally, compliance is essential for these ethics policies and statements to be effective (Fig. 2), and researchers and organiza- tions must be able to speak up against GBF-related non-compliance and inequalities. Finally, funding strategies in African and global genomics land - scapes should be people-centred and ethically sound59 (see also Sup- plementary Table S1, rows 1 and 2). Stakeholder engagement (that includes AfricaBP) and consideration of a GBF-first strategy by funders will support progress in delivering GBF goals and the aims of the T oC. These outcomes indicate progress towards addressing GBF goals C and D, and targets 13, 20 and 21. Genomics and DSI infrastructures Challenges. Implementing the GBF successfully in Africa requires developing sufficient capacity to generate, study, share and use genomic data60, supported through legislative instruments 55,56. This overarching challenge comprises three sub-challenges: first, the lim- ited capacity to generate DSI at scale; for example, the Broad Institute in Cambridge, USA, has 10 PacBio Revio sequencers — each capable of sequencing 1,300 human genomes per year61 — whereas only one PacBio Revio is present in Africa. Second, the underuse of existing capacity to generate and use DSI; for example, although 206 next-generation sequencing instruments were identified in Africa in 2021 (ref. 43), this Box 2 | Scientific journals’ strategic roles in helping Africa to meet the objectives of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

Three primary global regulatory frameworks cover plant genetic resources: the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (Figs. 1 and 2). In Africa, several local regulations govern plant genetics research, and the Nagoya Protocol and ITPGRFA are key instruments for signatories and Parties. However, the ethics policies of scientific journals rarely mention the Nagoya Protocol and ITPGRFA. Further, most scientific journals lack ethics policies related to the use of plant genetic resources, including mandatory declaration of permit approvals or statements that show how researchers complied with national regulations (see Recommendations under Legal and ethical frameworks section). This lack of guardrails in research dissemination does not encourage ethical and legal compliance, engagements with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, or sustainable use of plant genetic resources, and it does not support much-needed efforts to better safeguard biodiversity. Mandatory ethics disclosures in scientific journals will improve awareness of plant genetic resources access and benefit-sharing for researchers and institutions, and encourage countries to develop comprehensive access and benefit-sharing legislation. The African BioGenome Project therefore calls for scientific journals (Fig. 2) to make ethics and national permit declarations a mandatory requirement when publishing research related to plant genetic resources and digital sequence information as well as all biological and genetic resources covered under the Nagoya Protocol, ITPGRFA and Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. If relevant national permits are not required, especially for research performed entirely locally (see Recommendations under Genomics and DSI infrastructures), then such ethics and compliance statements should include references to national regulations, written consent, or engagements with National Focal Points capturing such waivers (see relevant example from Competent National Authority for animal research53). The African BioGenome Project is open to collaborating with scientific journals on these updates to their ethics policies for the betterment of African biodiversity. Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 265 Roadmap number did not translate to an increase in sequence data in Africa compared to the global total 62–67 from endemic African plants and animal species14. Third, the absence of a federated DSI database, and of analysis, visualization and sharing platforms to maximize capacity to use and share DSI, anchored through national frameworks 55,56,68 (see also Supplementary Note S2). Recommendations. In-country capacity to generate, analyse, share and use DSI to strengthen biodiversity data and DSI infrastructures must be increased to meet GBF goals. Establishing national biodiversity genomics projects is one immediate step African countries can take to increase this capacity. These projects would unlock opportunities to build or leverage national infrastructure along the sequencing value chain — from sampling to sequence generation, analysis, translation and policy influence. Access to genetic resources for non-commercial in-country generation of DSI can also improve compliance with domes- tic ABS measures in some African countries as it removes the need for material transfer agreements, export permits or bioprospecting permits — for example, in Nigeria68, Ethiopia69,70 and South Africa53,71, respectively, but other forms of permits, such as access permits or prior informed consents, may still be required. In some African countries (such as Ethiopia69,70), export of genetic resources for DSI generation or research triggers additional compliance requirements that access conditions must be upheld by the foreign organization (or competent authority) where the research is undertaken. Creation of an African federated DSI database will enable stor - age, analysis, visualization and sharing of DSI. This database, created and supported through legislative instruments, would strengthen capacity to generate and use DSI across Africa, and support inno - vation (Supplementary Note S2). Furthermore, the first tranche of funds received by African countries via the multilateral mechanism for benefit-sharing40,72,73 could support national or regional databases or be deployed to support the federated coordination and delivery of the African DSI infrastructure (Supplementary Note S2). Develop- ment of these databases and infrastructure could also benefit from international partnerships74 and count towards benefit-sharing credits for international partners, including public databases75 (see GBF target 23 for further details). Expertise and information generated from the DSI data bank could be used to develop DSI curricula, research pro - grammes, and economic and bioeconomy-based products and services across Africa55, contributing towards meeting GBF targets 20, 21 and 22 (Table 1) (see Supplementary Table S3 for relevant stakeholders and their responsibilities). Example AfricaBP activities. AfricaBP is increasing the capacity to generate DSI by focusing on sequencing African species locally14 and organizing regional training workshops that maximize the usage of local sequencing and analysis capabilities24,56,57. The AfricaBP ecosystem provided the opportunity for acquisition of Africa’s first PacBio Revio sequencer through a public–private partnership between two AfricaBP partners: Inqaba Biotechnical Industries (Pty) Ltd and the University of South Africa76–78. Such public–private partnerships need to be encour- aged and supported across Africa to expand the acquisition and use of next-generation sequencing technologies, including those from other genome technology providers such as Illumina, Oxford Nanopore T echnology and MGI. In 2025, AfricaBP brokered opportunities between MyAfroDNA in Nigeria and MGI, two AfricaBP partners, to facilitate the acquisition of the MGI-manufactured nanopore-based genome sequencing technology, Cyclone-Seq — the first of its kind in West Africa. Furthermore, AfricaBP is working with partners such as A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute and genome technology Channel Partners in Nigeria to facilitate the acquisition of a genome sequencer. Similarly, the AfricaBP ecosystem inspired the establishment of the 1000 South African biodiversity project79,80 and inspired the proposal for the 1000 Moroccan biodiversity genome project24, respectively. AfricaBP is providing technical, ELSI and scientific guidance on DSI generation, analysis, use, sharing, and storage for African research- ers and institutions. AfricaBP has also established a roadmap for an African DSI Data Bank for Biodiversity and Agriculture (Fig. 3) through a hub-and-spoke model to grant agency to participating African African DSI Data Bank Central Hub • Managed by specialized DSI agency governed by African Union or inter-African agreements • Global access point • Data deposition and sharing in line with national frameworks such as NBSAPs and ABS North Africa Hub • Participating regional, national, academic and/or research institutions • Data-sharing platforms • Visualization platforms • Analysis platforms • Data storage and federated databases • Public–private partnerships East Africa Hub • Participating regional, national, academic and/or research institutions • Data-sharing platforms • Visualization platforms • Analysis platforms • Data storage and federated databases • Public–private partnerships West Africa Hub • Participating regional, national, academic and/or research institutions • Data-sharing platforms • Visualization platforms • Analysis platforms • Data storage and federated databases • Public–private partnerships Central Africa Hub • Participating regional, national, academic and/or research institutions • Data-sharing platforms • Visualization platforms • Analysis platforms • Data storage and federated databases • Public–private partnerships Southern Africa Hub • Participating regional, national, academic and/or research institutions • Data-sharing platforms • Visualization platforms • Analysis platforms • Data storage and federated databases • Public–private partnerships Fig. 3 | Proposed African DSI data bank for biodiversity and agriculture (African DSI Data Bank). The African Digital Sequence Information (DSI) Data Bank delivered through inter-African agreements and current (or new) DSI infrastructure would help to deliver the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework across Africa. A central coordinating hub run by a specialized institution under the African Union or any inter-African governmental agreements would facilitate DSI data storage, analysis, visualization and sharing through the Global Access Point. This central hub would be a repository for data deposition and sharing from countries in line with national frameworks such as national biodiversity strategies and action plans. Regional hubs would facilitate DSI generation and contain databases and data analysis, visualization and sharing platforms provided by national, academic and research institutions.
ABS, access and benefit-sharing; NBSAPs, national biodiversity strategies and action plans. Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 266 Roadmap institutions and organizations for data storage, analysis, visualization and sharing platforms (see Supplementary Note S2 for details of the African DSI data bank roadmap). This proposal could be adopted by the African Union, or its specialized scientific agencies such as the African Union–Inter-Africa Bureau for Animal Resources and Inter-African Phytosanitary Council 81, as a permanent structure for DSI to ease regulatory hurdles56 and for mainstreaming at the national levels (see Supplementary Table S4, row 2, Evaluating AfricaBP’s progress). Simi- larly, AfricaBP has brokered local genome sequencing opportunities between  non-African projects or companies (such as the Vertebrate Genomes Project, 10,000 Genomes Projects and MGI) and African insti- tutions or companies, such as the University of South Africa, the South African Medical Research Council and Inqaba Biotec 14,53,82, enabling cross-pollination of international and local expertise and investments. Discussions are presently under way to increase collaborations between the European Reference Genome Atlas 83 and the AfricaBP North Africa node to better coordinate on sequencing cross-continent species in the Mediterranean region. Intermediate outcomes. Implementing these recommendations will strengthen genomics infrastructure and DSI data sovereignty across Africa, and will increase the number of African countries cap - turing DSI as part of their national research agenda and bioeconomy strategic plans. The sequencing of 1,000 species over a 5-year period by each African country would represent good progress. Tariffs for DSI research technologies and products are currently high, result - ing in high costs for research operations and services and reducing access to these technologies, products and services for African coun- tries. Therefore, a robust supply chain within Africa, coupled with an increase in demand and supply, should encourage competition among commercial and industry stakeholders and result in reductions in tar- iffs at the national levels across Africa. Goal D of the GBF encourages capacity-building and technology, especially for developing nations: as prices for genome technologies and consumables drop, the ability to meet goal D using benefits from goal C (equitable and fair sharing of monetary and non-monetary benefits) will increase. Large-scale, targeted and people-oriented investments in the African DSI data bank will create dynamic and cross-domain thinkers and doers55,84 who have deep knowledge of a wide range of DSI types and applications, and who can promote effective implementation and mainstreaming of the GBF across Africa while maximizing its potential for scientific and economic advancement. These thinkers and doers will be agile teams of African scientists that can provide high-impact technical support, will facilitate transfer of skills in both scientific and administrative domains, and will adapt to diverse ecological and organ- izational contexts across biodata generation, analysis and sharing, use, and infrastructure across Africa — making them indispensable for the sustainable and equitable expansion of AfricaBP’s initiatives. Building this skilled workforce across Africa will also increase research publica- tions by African scientists (see Supplementary Table S6 for investment priorities and Supplementary Note S2 on resource requirements to develop a unified access platform called the Global Access Point). These outcomes indicate progress towards addressing GBF goals A, B, C and D, and targets 4, 8, 10, 13, 20, and 21. Inclusion and gender Challenges. Women are predominantly underrepresented in DSI research across geographical regions in Africa (see Supplementary Table S1, case study 11). In 2021, around 35% of African scientific researchers were female compared with 44% in Latin America and the Caribbean85. The level of underrepresentation varies between African regions85; during the 2023 regional workshops of the AfricaBP Open Institute — the knowledge exchange programme of the AfricaBP, 38% of registered applicants in Southern Africa were female, compared with 53% in Northern Africa56. Any framework for achieving gender balance in line with GBF targets 22 and 23 will therefore differ across African geographical regions. Recommendations. A gender-first strategy must be deployed across the African genetics resources and DSI research landscape, beginning at the pre-conception phase of projects and ensuring implementation throughout projects’ life cycles (see Supplementary Table S1, case stud- ies 1 and 11). This strategy will involve integrating gender equity targets directly into ABS (rather than treating gender diversity as a standalone or voluntary consideration) to move equity from aspiration to compli- ance. Embedding these targets into the African Union’s Strategy for Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment86 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (ref. 87) ensures alignment with exist- ing continental and global commitments. The GBF explicitly calls for the full, equitable and meaningful participation of women and girls in biodiversity decision-making, capacity-building and benefit-sharing under goal D and targets 22 and 23 (ref. 12). Operationalizing these commitments within genomics and DSI governance can be achieved by integrating gender-disaggregated indicators into national ABS proce- dures, DSI governance frameworks, and GBF monitoring and reporting mechanisms (including NBSAPs and CBD national reports12,40), as well as the incorporation of gender equity criteria within ABS permitting guidelines, DSI governance frameworks, and eligibility conditions for capacity-building and benefit-sharing support. Gender-disaggregated data collection and public reporting should be diligently monitored in GBF progress reviews and CBD national reports12, enabling transparency and accountability. Furthermore, long-term mentorship networks linking senior women scientists with early-career researchers, particularly in underrepresented regions, should be established and sustainably funded, drawing on proven mod- els such as African Women in Agricultural Research and Development88. Finally, local investments in African science should be sought to drive up inclusive investments, data generation, use and, ultimately, gender diversity (see Supplementary Table S3, row 3 for relevant stakeholders and their responsibilities). National and regional funding agencies across Africa that sponsor genetic resources and DSI-related activi - ties should dedicate grant calls for women principal investigators and professional development similar to the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development model. Example AfricaBP activities. Gender, geographical and career stage diversity are central to AfricaBP, as shown through the work of the Afri- caBP Open Institute. Of the 22 research fellowship awards made by the AfricaBP Open Institute since 2024, 11 were awarded to female research- ers and 11 to male researchers. Similarly, of the more than 12,000 regis- tered attendees during the AfricaBP Open Institute regional workshops since 2023, around 42% were female and 58% were male24,56,57. Finally, the 28-person AfricaBP management committee is 45% female and 55% male. AfricaBP will continue to support gender balance processes by establishing minimum gender participation thresholds across its training programmes, fellowships and governance structures, strengthening mentorship and leadership pipelines for women scien- tists, and supporting national authorities to incorporate gender equity clauses into emerging ABS and DSI policies. These actions will help Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 267 Roadmap to achieve target 23 of the GBF , enabling gender-responsive represen- tation and participation in decision-making in biodiversity genomics (see Supplementary Table S4, row 3, Evaluating AfricaBP’s progress). Intermediate outcomes. Increasing the number of African funders and institutions sponsoring African genetics resources and DSI-related research is an important intermediate outcome and will naturally address inclusivity in governance, data generation and use, and gender diversity by ensuring that African priorities are financially supported. African countries presently contribute about 0.45% of national gross domestic products to research and innovation, compared with the global average of 1.7%89. Increasing Africa’s self-financing of genetic resources and DSI-related research over a 10-year period will help to achieve the target of spending 1% of national GDP on research and innovation as suggested by the African Union90. The number of pan-African genomics programmes achieving at least 50% female participation should increase by at least 46% by 2030, involving researchers engaged in ABS-compliant genomics projects across Africa. This increase could be measured by fellow - ship enrolment and completion records; disaggregated reporting by gender, region and discipline; annual institutional gender-equality scorecards; assessing recruitment, enrolment, retention and mentorship-to-leadership progression pipelines that aim to place at least 30% of mentees in governance or decision-making roles (such as national ABS committees or consortium management boards) within 5 years of programme launch. By 2035, progress on gender-responsive ABS policy integration should result in at least 20 African countries including formal gender equity clauses and reporting requirements in ABS legislation and genomics policy frameworks. This progress could be measured by content analysis of national ABS laws and GBF progress reviews. These outcomes indicate progress towards addressing GBF goal D, and targets 22 and 23. Conflicting priorities Challenges. The intricate challenge of balancing biodiversity conser- vation with poverty alleviation and sustainable development is under- scored by the direct dependence of many communities on natural resources for their livelihoods91. Finding a sustainable equilibrium that benefits both biodiversity and local populations remains a substantial challenge92 (see Supplementary Table S1, case studies 7 and 10). For example, the cost of sequencing 100,000 endemic African species over a 10-year period is around US $ 1 billion, which could potentially compete
with national budgets for combating malnutrition and diseases14. The GBF recognizes the roles of Indigenous Peoples, traditional knowledge, scientific approaches and capacity-building in biodiversity conservation. However, the GBF presents capacity-building primar - ily as a one-way process in which developing countries benefit from technology transfer and cooperation with developed countries (see GBF target 20)12. A two-way approach93–95 to biodiversity conservation capacity-building can benefit from Indigenous Peoples knowledge96, provided that it is accessed with their free, prior and informed consent. For example, analysis of the management and sustainability of natural resources in Ghana revealed that Indigenous knowledge systems, such as taboos and totems, have had major roles in conserving biological resources97,98. Recommendations . Indigenous Peoples and local communities in Africa should be involved in biodiversity governance to safeguard their rights on genetics resources and DSI use and to strengthen ELSI frameworks. Biodiversity governance cannot succeed without inte - grating both conservation and poverty alleviation through NBSAPs developed with structured, early-stage consultation with Indig - enous Peoples and local communities, in line with Article 8( j) of the CBD11 and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 99
(see Supplementary Table S1, case studies 7 and 9). Although previous reports in genomics and biodata project co-developments100,101 indicate engagements with, and inclusion of, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and relevant stakeholders, cases still occur in which key stakeholders are bypassed in project conception and initiation (see Supplementary Table S1, cases 1 and 2).
Dedicated inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities should occur throughout the research lifecycle, including monitoring of downstream implementations such as co-development of projects, NBSAPs, and sponsorship of biodiversity and DSI-related projects. Inclusion of Indigenous peoples, local communities, key stakeholders, and ELSI should be prioritized at the same level as the wet laboratory or bioinformatics aspects of the research lifecycle. Stakeholder engage- ment provides opportunities for robust solutions to achieving the long-term objectives of any research. National and societal cooperation should be promoted by embed- ding Indigenous Peoples and local community-led initiatives within regional biodiversity and poverty alleviation strategies, ensuring align- ment with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 (ref. 102). Finally, in con- sultation with Indigenous Peoples, exchange programmes should be developed that enable scientists to deliver technical and policy training while benefiting from the wealth of traditional ecological knowledge that Indigenous Peoples and local communities can offer, which can strengthen both conservation outcomes and community livelihoods (see Supplementary Table S3, row 4 for relevant stakeholders and their responsibilities). Example AfricaBP activities. AfricaBP provides African researchers and institutions with opportunities to define their priorities by organ- izing annual regional workshops across all five African geographical regions that target researchers of all career stages and gender with conservation, agricultural, technology, bioinformatics, policy and ELSI sessions 24,56,57, and that advocate for integration of genomics into national bioeconomy 24 and One Health strategies 57. AfricaBP is inspiring the initiation of new national and institutional biodiversity genome projects led by African scientists and scientific agencies with local-first sequencing and analytical strategies24,53,79, and the AfricaBP ELSI practical guidelines on accessing and sharing genetic resources help researchers to better understand their responsibilities across the research lifecycle53,54 (see Supplementary Table S4, row 4, Evaluating AfricaBP’s progress). Intermediate outcomes. By 2030, at least 20 African countries should have established co-managed NBSAP implementation committees in which a minimum of 40% of seats are allocated to Indigenous Peoples and local community representatives, ensuring gender balance and regional representation. These committees should serve as formal decision-making bodies for NBSAP implementation and have clear man- dates to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into national bio- diversity targets. Progress should be reported biennially through CBD national reports and aligned with the GBF indicators on equity and par- ticipation. At least 80% of African NBSAPs should integrate Indigenous Peoples and local communities governance clauses and benefit-sharing Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 268 Roadmap protocols by 2028. For example, Namibia’s community-based natural resource management model integrates biodiversity conservation with poverty alleviation, and has generated US $ 140 million for rural communities between 1990 and 2022 (ref. 103). These outcomes indicate progress towards addressing GBF goals A, B, C, and D and targets 4, 8, 10, 13, 20, 21, 22 and 23. Transparency, monitoring and mainstreaming Challenges. Successful implementation of the GBF (including imple- mentation involving DSI) requires responsibility and transparency supported by effective mechanisms for planning, monitoring, report- ing and reviewing that align with NBSAPs and national frameworks12,40. Globally, some countries prefer to monitor access and use of DSI, whereas others do not 7,104,105. In Africa, ensuring accountability, transparency and responsibility in achieving the objectives of GBF without monitoring access and use of DSI is challenging; therefore, implementing infrastructure to enable monitoring will be required104. Mainstreaming the GBF and DSI using existing national ABS meas- ures will require concerted and intentional efforts (see Supplementary Table S1, case study 6). For example, the decision adopted at CBD COP16 encouraged the alignment of national ABS measures with the multilateral mechanism40. This decision is similar to Article 8 of the Nagoya Protocol (which entered into force in 2014 and has 142 Parties as of February 2026), which encourages member countries to exercise leniency and promote the utilization of genetic resources in the absence of prior informed con- sent and material transfer agreements in cases of emergency11. However, as of 2022, only 12 countries had public health emergency exemptions in place106 and, of the 75 countries sampled in 2018, only 26 parties consider it necessary to allow exceptions or fast-track options for research on pathogens and/or emerging infectious diseases23,107. Decision 16/2 of the CBD states that DSI sharing should follow Open Science recommendations set out in Section III of the UNESCO (UN Edu- cational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Recommendation on Open Science, and should be shared unrestrictedly through a multilat- eral benefit-sharing mechanism40. However, this rigid approach con- trasts with UNESCO’s recommendation on flexibility in Open Science, recognizing that no one-size-fits-all approach exists and that access might sometimes need to be restricted to protect human rights, intellec- tual property rights, sacred and secret Indigenous knowledge, and rare, threatened or endangered species108. Although unrestricted Open Sci- ence promotes transparency and public accountability in the research process, how this approach to Open Science ensures transparency and accountability in achieving the GBF’s benefit-sharing goal (goal C)
remains unclear, especially in terms of monitoring and reporting. Recommendations. Regular reporting, independent assessments and mechanisms for obtaining reliable reporting data, are required to ensure accountability and inform necessary adjustments to DSI con- servation strategies7,12,109–111. Examples of such mechanisms from other domains include the Biodiversity Passport in South Africa112 and the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health Passports and its Cryptogra- phy for Genomic Health file container format113, which enable secure and traceable data access. As the GBF should be implemented with a human rights approach12, the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities should be protected through a hybrid data-sharing model involving options for both unrestricted access to biodiversity DSI and passport-mediated access (in which access to DSI data is granted via a dig- ital ‘passport’ or ‘visas’). This approach would implement the principles enshrined in the UNESCO recommendations for Open Science (Box 1). The CBD, Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, Nagoya Protocol on ABS, GBF and ITPGRFA are key regulatory instruments designed to address various aspects of biodiversity conservation, including eco- nomic dimensions114. Understanding these regulatory instruments and their interoperability ensures a comprehensive and cohesive govern- ance approach to managing biodiversity, biosafety, genetic resources and equitable benefit-sharing 26,115. Aligning, cross-referencing and harmonizing these frameworks within national ABS laws116, accompa- nied by implementing the lessons learned with integrating Article 8 of the Nagoya Protocol into national ABS measures, will help to monitor and ensure transparency, accountability and effective implementa - tion across Africa. These actions would guide interoperability, global representation and unified monitoring systems 117, which should be prioritized by African policymakers (Supplementary Table S1, case studies 3, 5, 6, and see Supplementary Table S3, row 5 for relevant stakeholders and their responsibilities). Example AfricaBP activities. AfricaBP advocates for the harmoniza- tion of biodiversity legal frameworks14 as African countries will benefit from a unified position on genetic resources and DSI104. AfricaBP works to integrate biodiversity and genomics into national and regional policies across Africa, ensuring alignment and interoperability with the objectives of the GBF and Nagoya Protocol (Figs.  1–3 and Sup - plementary Note S1). These efforts include advocating for Africa’s interests and perspectives on transparency, accountability, moni - toring and mainstreaming, particularly in the implementation and review processes of the GBF . By ensuring that Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities are addressed in global biodiversity policy, Afri - caBP aims to achieve its vision of sustaining biodiversity across Africa
(see Supplementary Table S4, row 5, Evaluating AfricaBP’s progress). Intermediate outcomes. By 2030, all African Union Member States should adopt DSI policy frameworks that are harmonized with the African Union Model Law on ABS, and at least 20 African countries should have integrated DSI governance frameworks into their national ABS laws with formalized equitable collaboration guidelines (including co-authorship and data-sharing protocols), certified training pro - grammes for Indigenous Peoples and local communities and scientists on DSI governance and rights, and CNA-led DSI compliance monitor- ing units. These frameworks could result in a substantial increase in Africa-based co-authorship on DSI-related peer-reviewed publications and strengthened benefit-sharing arrangements, as tracked through CBD national reports and scientometric analyses. Key indicators include the number of transparent reporting, benefit-sharing laws and simplified legislative administrations, African DSI publications, governance, and capacity-building and capacity-strengthening for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. These outcomes indicate progress towards addressing GBF goals C and D and targets 10, 13 and 21. Summary and future directions Africa supports sustainable genetics and genomics-informed biodi- versity conservation approaches, particularly through implementing ABS frameworks118. Yet, multifaceted ELSI challenges persist across the continent119 (Supplementary Table S1). Addressing these challenges to meet GBF goals and implement the AfricaBP T oC requires deliberate investments in genetic resources and DSI research and innovation, and engaging African governments, research institutes, funding agencies and the private sector, supported by international partnerships. Nature Reviews Biodiversity | Volume 2 | April 2026 | 258–272 269 Roadmap AfricaBP is central to delivering the GBF AfricaBP development has benefited primarily from the goodwill of African researchers and organizations rather than through core funding, creating an unusual bottom-up approach that gained the confidence of African people. AfricaBP currently leverages five pillars of goodwill to deliver its objectives: volunteer commitments of Afri- caBP committee members; global communities such as the Vertebrate Genomes Project and 10,000 Plant Genomes Project14; new and existing projects across African institutions such as the South African Medical Research Council and the University of South Africa; partnerships with technology and service providers, including Illumina, MGI, PacBio, and Inqaba Biotechnical Industries; and regional workshop partners24,55–57. Despite operating with extremely limited resources and zero budget, AfricaBP has delivered outcomes comparable to multi-million-pound initiatives, matching the UK Research and Innovation Digital Innovation for Development in Africa Programme outcomes (see Supplementary  Table S5 for details). AfricaBP has identified 15 priority areas where funders and spon- sors can intervene to transform genetics resources and DSI across Africa. These include establishing AfricaBP affiliate programmes, group leaders and professorial chairs, as well as supporting work - shops, fellowships, infrastructure, and continent-wide operational and administrative coordination of AfricaBP (see Supplementary Table S6 for additional details). Africa’s research funding remains largely exter- nal; among the top 55 public health and philanthropic funders 120,
and the nearly 4,000 funding awards mobilized between 2012 to 2017 during the Ebola epidemic 121, only three were African funders. Globally, research is shifting towards a model where greater impact must be achieved with fewer resources (Supplementary Table S2), as illustrated by cuts from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health122. South Africa, the continent’s leader in medical research, has lost 30% of its research income from US funding cuts alone 123. AfricaBP has demonstrated its ability to deliver outcomes with limited resources and now stands as the leading platform for advancing the sovereignty of Africa’s biodiversity genomics. AfricaBP is mobilizing African researchers and institutions to fund sequencing, analyses and local training24,53,55–57. Using AfricaBP’s financially conservative models, training 10 Afri- can researchers in genomics during AfricaBP Open Institute regional workshops costs around US $ 6,500 (ref. 25), and sequencing a 3-GB genome at 30× coverage costs around US $ 2,000 (Oxford Nanopore T echnologies and Hi-C) or US $ 5,000 (PacBio Revio and Omni-C). These costs are comparable to those in Brazil but higher than in the USA124. AfricaBP activities are aligned with several funders’ priorities 14. Potential funding mechanisms include Kenya’s National Environment Trust Fund at the national level125, and institutions such as the African Union, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Agency, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Science for Africa Foundation support efforts at the interface of biodiversity, climate, and public health at a continental level126,127. Globally, funding mecha- nisms include the Global Environment Facility and UNEP128, and private funders, such as the Wellcome Trust, that focus on capacity-building, ethical and legal frameworks59, and the promotion of Open Science129. T o scale impact, AfricaBP has commenced a multicountry, multi- sector economic analysis on locally sequencing African endemic spe- cies to strengthen biodiversity conservation, drive sustained national and private investments, and secure matched commitments from international partners90. Self-sustaining GBF financing is within Africa’s reach but must contribute to its economy and uplift its people. Delivering the GBF requires actions beyond AfricaBP AfricaBP provides a continent-wide platform for implementing genomics-enabled biodiversity conservation but delivery of the GBF across Africa requires coordinated action by multiple actors beyond AfricaBP. National governments remain central, as implementation ultimately depends on domestic legal frameworks, resourcing and insti- tutional mandates. Governments should update or develop NBSAPs to explicitly incorporate genomics and DSI as tools for conservation, while ensuring that implementation plans include clear roles for CNAs, ABS NFPs and research institutions. In parallel, national ABS legislation should be strengthened to improve interoperability across biodiversity-related regulatory instruments, including the CBD, Nagoya Protocol, GBF and ITPGRFA, and to clarify domestic approaches to DSI governance and benefit-sharing in alignment with the emerging multilateral mechanism. Research institutions and universities also have a decisive role. Institutions generating or using DSI should establish internal gov - ernance systems that support compliance throughout the research lifecycle, including ethics review processes for biodiversity genom - ics, standardized material and data transfer procedures, and training for researchers on ABS and DSI requirements. Scientific publishers and data repositories should support implementation by requiring transparent disclosures on legal access, benefit-sharing arrangements, and community engagement where relevant, thereby strengthening accountability at the stage of DSI dissemination. Funding bodies and private-sector actors must likewise align invest- ments with GBF objectives. Dedicated funding mechanisms are needed to support African sequencing capacity, federated DSI infrastructures, and long-term training pipelines, and should include gender-responsive targets embedded as conditions of support. Finally, Indigenous Peoples and local communities must be included as rights-holders and partners in biodiversity governance, including through formal roles in NBSAP implementation structures and benefit-sharing processes. Without these multi-actor commitments, genomics will remain an underused tool, and the GBF’s goals of conservation, sustainable use, and equitable benefit-sharing will remain difficult to achieve. Published online: 23 March 2026 References

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