**Abstract**

Norovirus is now known to be the leading cause of gastroenteritis among children worldwide. This present report highlights the genetic diversity of norovirus among children less than 5 years in Southern, Nigeria. Stool specimens were collected from 300 children with diarrhea and analyzed for norovirus using conventional reverse transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction. Sequencing of the capsid region was performed to genotype the strains. Norovirus was detected in 45 (11.1%) of children with diarrhea. Genogroup II norovirus was detected in 38/45 (84.4%) patients, while genogroup I (GI) noroviruses were identified in 7/38 (15.6%) patients. Genotype diversity was large, as demonstrated by the nine identified genotypes (2 GI and 7 GII). GII.4 was the most predominant genotype. Two norovirus GII.4 variants, New Orleans\_2009 and Sydney\_2012 were identified in this study. A putative novel GII.4 recombinant was also detected. This study report for the first time the detection of norovirus GII.17 Kawasaki strain in South–South, region of Nigeria.

**Keywords:** norovirus, genetic diversity, children, RT-PCR
