Nigerian man bags ₦110m Canada research grant to solve fertility puzzle men have been blamed for too long

• Nigerian pharmacist and researcher Chika Onochie won a CAD $100,000 doctoral research scholarship in Québec, Canada.

• His research aims to improve male fertility testing by identifying biomarkers beyond conventional semen analysis.

• Onochie graduated with First-Class Honours from the University of Benin before moving to McGill University for his PhD.

• He says infertility should be treated as a couple's issue and hopes his work will lead to fairer and more accurate fertility assessments.

For years, many couples dealing with infertility have watched the spotlight stay almost entirely on women. Now, a Nigerian researcher in Canada is working to change that.

Chika Onochie, a Nigerian pharmacist and PhD researcher at McGill University, has secured a major research scholarship worth up to CAD $100,000 (over ₦110 million, depending on exchange rates) to develop better ways of assessing male fertility.

The award came through Québec's Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) under its Doctoral Research Scholarships programme after Onochie's proposal received a positive recommendation from a peer-review committee.

In an official award letter, the organisation said:

“Following the positive recommendation of the peer-review committee that evaluated your application, and in accordance with the deliberations of the Board of Directors of the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ), we are pleased to inform you that the scholarship application you submitted under the Doctoral Research Scholarships program in the Fall 2025 competition will receive financial support from the FRQ.

“You will find attached the CAD $100,000 offered, as well as the results obtained for each of the program’s evaluation criteria.

“This award is conditional upon the adoption by the National Assembly of Québec of the necessary budgetary appropriations, in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Administration Act (CQLR, c. A-6.001), and upon decisions of the FRQ Board of Directors related to its strategic planning. The award may be modified at any time, without prior notice.”

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Male infertility is often assessed through a standard semen analysis, which checks factors like sperm count, movement and shape. But researchers say those tests don't always explain why some couples still struggle to conceive.

That is exactly the gap Onochie hopes to address.

His doctoral research focuses on identifying biomarkers, molecular indicators that can reveal whether sperm are actually capable of fertilising an egg, even when routine test results appear normal.

Speaking about what inspired the research, Onochie said his years of training and practice in Nigeria exposed him to how fertility investigations are often handled.

“My training and practice as a pharmacist in Nigeria allowed me to see some of the inequalities surrounding reproductive healthcare firsthand.

“When couples experienced infertility, women often underwent extensive investigations, whereas evaluation of the man could end with a basic semen analysis examining parameters such as sperm count and morphology.”

According to him, that experience made him question whether existing male fertility tests were telling the full story.

“I came to understand that the problem was not simply that men were being overlooked, but that we still lack reliable biomarkers that can tell us whether sperm are functionally capable of fertilization.”

Onochie graduated from the University of Benin in 2021 with First-Class Honours, earning both Bachelor of Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees.

After working as a clinical pharmacist in Nigeria, he relocated to Canada in 2023 to begin his PhD in Pharmacology at McGill University, one of Canada's leading research institutions.

His current work investigates molecular changes in sperm that could help scientists and fertility specialists better predict whether sperm can successfully fertilise an egg.

He explained: “One of the problems we face is that routine semen analysis does not tell us everything about whether sperm are functionally capable of fertilization.

“My research aims to identify functional biomarkers that could provide a more complete assessment of male fertility, particularly in cases where conventional testing does not adequately explain why a couple is experiencing infertility.”

Beyond his ongoing doctoral work, Onochie has also contributed to scientific research. In 2025, he co-authored a peer-reviewed review examining how redox-induced protein modifications in sperm may affect sperm function and male infertility.

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For the Nigerian researcher, the award is more than funding. He believes it also reflects the quality of education and scientific training he received back home.

“Receiving this award is particularly meaningful to me because much of the foundation for my career was built in Nigeria.

“To be recognised in a highly competitive process alongside other well-trained researchers is also a reflection of the quality of education and scientific training I received in Nigeria.

“My training there gave me the foundation to compete internationally, and I am proud to carry that foundation forward in my research.”

He added that improving male fertility testing could make reproductive healthcare fairer for couples everywhere.

“Infertility is a couple’s issue.

“Improving how we evaluate male fertility is important not only scientifically, but also for creating a more balanced approach to reproductive healthcare.”

Nigerian pharmacist and researcher Chika Onochie won a CAD $100,000 doctoral research scholarship in Québec, Canada.

His research aims to improve male fertility testing by identifying biomarkers beyond conventional semen analysis.

Onochie graduated with First-Class Honours from the University of Benin before moving to McGill University for his PhD.

He says infertility should be treated as a couple's issue and hopes his work will lead to fairer and more accurate fertility assessments.