Posted on: Thu 17-09-2026

Medical laboratory scientists have called for sustained efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported diagnostic products and strengthen local capacity for the production of reagents, consumables and diagnostic equipment.

The call was made at the 28th Annual Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors of Nigeria (GMLD), held in Abuja, where participants examined strategies for building a self-sufficient and commercially viable diagnostic industry.

Speaking at the conference, the National President of the GMLD, Dr Sam Fele, said Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported diagnostic materials had resulted in the loss of employment opportunities and other economic disadvantages.

Fele said the country needed to move beyond dependence on imported products and develop a competitive domestic diagnostic industry capable of serving both national and international markets. He cited projections that the market value of imported diagnostic materials could reach $1.70 billion by 2032.

Speaking on the conference theme, “From Diagnostic Sovereignty to Market Readiness: Building Nigeria’s End-to-End Diagnostics Ecosystem,” Fele stressed that laboratories should occupy a central position in efforts to achieve diagnostic sovereignty.

According to him, diagnostic sovereignty extends beyond domestic manufacturing and requires an integrated system connecting research, innovation, manufacturing, regulation, quality assurance, distribution, laboratories, healthcare providers, patients and health data.

He also emphasised the importance of creating a viable market for locally manufactured diagnostic products, arguing that domestic production would be difficult to sustain without reliable demand and appropriate market structures.

Declaring the conference open, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, represented by Dr Emeka Elom, Director and Head of the Medical Laboratory Services Division of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, described accurate and timely diagnosis as fundamental to healthcare delivery, disease surveillance and public health decision-making.

Salako said the conference theme was consistent with the Federal Government’s health sector renewal agenda and its commitment to developing a sustainable and responsive health system.

He said Nigeria’s pursuit of diagnostic sovereignty should encompass stronger national capacity, technology transfer, research and innovation, effective regulation, sustainable procurement and strategic partnerships.

“The Federal Government recognises diagnostics as a strategic national asset,” he said, adding that the country’s diagnostic strategy should generate greater access to quality, affordable and timely diagnostic services.

The conference also drew attention to the broader challenge of local health-product manufacturing, particularly vaccine production.

Renowned virologist and Chairman of Biovaccines Nigeria Ltd. (BVNL), Professor Oyewale Tomori, expressed concern over the slow development of Nigeria’s domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity.

Tomori, who said he had been involved with Biovaccines Nigeria Ltd. for almost two decades, questioned the pace of progress in establishing local vaccine production.

He attributed some of the delays to vested interests within institutions and called for stronger collective commitment to national health priorities.

“There are individuals, and just like you have in your association, we have individuals in all these ministries who are stumbling blocks to progress,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Tomori expressed optimism that sustained collective action could help overcome the obstacles affecting local vaccine production.

The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Ikechukwu Ononuju, said the conference provided an opportunity for medical laboratory professionals and other stakeholders to deliberate on diagnostics, disease surveillance, healthcare delivery and national health security.

Also speaking at the event, the representative of the Director-General of the National Blood Transfusion Service, Dr Adesola Adebayo, stressed the importance of strict compliance with established standards and quality benchmarks in blood screening and transfusion services.

The discussions at the conference highlighted the need for Nigeria to approach diagnostic sovereignty as a broader health-system and industrial-development objective involving local manufacturing, research, regulation, procurement, quality assurance and market development.

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