FG moves to revitalise Nigeria’s analytical laboratory sector — Minister

The federal government has restated its commitment to revitalising Nigeria’s analytical laboratory sector to enhance public health, environmental protection, and industrial competitiveness.

Speaking at the national stakeholders’ summit on the analytical laboratories sector in Nigeria, held in Lagos on Tuesday, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who was represented by the director, national food safety programme, John Atanda, described laboratories as “silent watchdogs of public health and safety” that underpin the nation’s development.

The two-day summit, organised by the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN), brought together policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and international partners to discuss strategies for reforming Nigeria’s fragmented and underfunded laboratory system.

The event, themed “Strengthening Analytical Laboratories for Public Health, Environmental Protection, and Industrial Growth in Nigeria,” featured technical sessions on laboratory accreditation, funding mechanisms, policy reforms, and innovation-driven collaboration.

The minister said analytical laboratories remain vital to Nigeria’s economic and public health ecosystems, noting that they ensure food and water safety, verify medicine efficacy, monitor environmental pollution, and validate products for trade.

“Laboratories are not just scientific facilities; they are national assets. They test our water and air, screen for contaminants in food, support disease surveillance, and ensure the quality of our products for local and international markets,” Salako said.

He, however, lamented that despite their critical role, the sector continues to face challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, obsolete equipment, a shortage of skilled personnel, and weak regulatory coordination.

“These gaps,” he warned, “limit our ability to compete globally and to harness the full potential of laboratory science in driving innovation, trade, and disease control.”

Salako described the summit as “timely and strategic,” noting that it provides a platform for all stakeholders, government, private sector players, academia, and development partners, to collaborate on repositioning the sector.

He said the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is committed to strengthening regulatory frameworks, building laboratory networks, and integrating laboratory services into national health and environmental surveillance systems.

“No single institution can solve these challenges alone. This summit marks a turning point. It is an opportunity to forge partnerships that will lead to measurable improvements in infrastructure, human capital, and innovation,” he added.

The minister urged participants to develop “bold and sustainable” solutions that would enhance laboratory accreditation, promote indigenous technology, and reduce dependence on imported equipment.

He assured that the Federal Ministry of Health would champion the summit’s resolutions and advocate for policies that recognise the analytical laboratory sector as a “strategic national priority.”

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Also speaking at the event, the President of the Society of Testing Laboratory Analysts of Nigeria (SoTLAN), Mr. Bolawa Gbolahan, said no laboratory system can thrive without sustainable funding.

He highlighted the sector’s persistent challenges, including inadequate financing, weak enforcement of standards, obsolete instruments, and manpower shortages, which, he said, have affected Nigeria’s capacity to generate reliable data and maintain international credibility.

“As the world moves towards data-driven industrial and environmental policies, our laboratories must no longer be seen as secondary support systems. They are critical national infrastructure,” Gbolahan said.

He announced that SoTLAN is advocating for a National Framework for Laboratory Development and working with IPAN to promote structured training programmes, mentorship for young analysts, and laboratory accreditation in line with ISO/IEC 17025 standards.

According to him, a unified and well-coordinated laboratory system would boost confidence in Nigerian products, strengthen research credibility, and attract investment.

Gbolahan, who chaired the summit’s session on Funding Opportunities for Laboratory Development, urged stakeholders to explore creative financing models to address the sector’s funding gap.

These, he said, include public-private partnerships, equipment leasing schemes, development bank credit lines, and cooperative ownership of high-end analytical facilities.

“If we must compete globally, our laboratories must be well-funded, well-managed, and well-regulated,” he said.

He added that strong collaboration among regulators, practitioners, and investors would accelerate the development of a national network of accredited laboratories and foster policy reforms that support local testing capacity.

Both the Minister’s representative and SoTLAN president agreed that the summit should not end with rhetoric but should yield practical roadmaps and actionable strategies to build a world-class laboratory system.

They commended IPAN for its leadership in convening the forum and reaffirmed their commitment to working with all stakeholders to strengthen Nigeria’s analytical laboratory ecosystem.