Bacteriophage Research and Phage Therapy in Nigeria: A Scoping Review Protocol

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most significant global public health threats, reducing the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics and increasing the burden of difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. This has renewed interest in bacteriophages (phages), viruses that specifically infect and kill bacteria, as potential alternatives or complements to antibiotic therapy. Beyond their therapeutic potential, bacteriophages have important applications in diagnostics, biotechnology, food safety, agriculture, environmental surveillance, and vaccine development. Although bacteriophage research has grown internationally, the extent and characteristics of research conducted in Nigeria have not been comprehensively mapped. The aim of this scoping review is to systematically identify, map, and characterize the available evidence on bacteriophage research and phage therapy conducted in Nigeria. Specifically, the review seeks to identify the types of bacteriophage research undertaken, describe the reported applications of bacteriophages and bacteriophage-derived products, map the bacterial pathogens, study settings, and application sectors represented in the literature, identify reported barriers and facilitators to the clinical translation of phage therapy, and highlight knowledge gaps and priorities for future research. The review will be conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews and reported in accordance with the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A comprehensive search strategy will be implemented across multiple electronic databases, including MEDLINE (PubMed), African Index Medicus, African Journals Online (AJOL), Academic Search Complete (EBSCOhost), and ProQuest. Grey literature will also be searched through Google Scholar, OSF Preprints, Nigerian institutional repositories, organizational websites, and relevant clinical trial registries. Eligible evidence will include primary research conducted in Nigeria or involving Nigerian institutions, researchers, or Nigerian-derived samples where findings are relevant to the Nigerian context. Two reviewers will independently screen studies, extract data using a standardized charting form, and summarize the findings using descriptive statistics, tables, charts, figures, and narrative synthesis. This review is expected to produce the first comprehensive evidence map of bacteriophage research and phage therapy in Nigeria. The findings will provide an overview of existing research activity, identify underexplored areas and methodological gaps, and inform future research priorities. The review is also expected to support capacity strengthening, guide funding priorities, facilitate collaboration among researchers, and provide evidence that may contribute to policy development and the future clinical translation of bacteriophage-based interventions in Nigeria. As the review will synthesize only publicly available literature, ethical approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presentation at scientific conferences.