In a scathing critique of Nigeria’s preparedness for future health emergencies, Professor Oyewale Tomori, a renowned virologist, has revealed that more than half of the country’s COVID-19 diagnostic laboratories are no longer operational.
The virologist, who served as an advisor to the World Health Organisation (WHO), described the situation as a “tragic failure of ethics, governance, and planning,” highlighting that over 60 out of 120 labs established during the COVID-19 pandemic have been abandoned.
Professor Tomori’s remarks come amid growing global concern over the resurgence of new COVID-19 variants and the looming threat of future pandemics. Speaking during the official unveiling of NIMR laboratory equipment in Lagos, Tomori lamented, “We built over 120 labs, but now many are defunct. When the next epidemic strikes, we will hear again that Nigeria has only three functioning labs. This is a tragic failure.”
He called the current state of Nigeria’s laboratory infrastructure a return to square one, where the country remains ill-prepared for health emergencies. According to Tomori, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) initially celebrated the establishment of these labs as a major success in expanding the country’s diagnostic capacity.
“Once the immediate urgency of COVID-19 waned, support for these labs disappeared,” Tomori explained. “Many labs are now lying dormant, lacking maintenance and resources to continue functioning.”
Tomori pointed to corruption and mismanagement as major contributors to the dysfunction of the labs. He revealed that funds allocated for constructing and equipping the labs were often siphoned off, resulting in substandard facilities. “You give 100 naira for a lab: 50 goes to the building, 30 for equipment, and 20 for staff. But 80 gets pocketed, and a lab is built with 20. Two weeks later, the lab stops functioning,” Tomori said.
The situation highlights deep flaws in Nigeria’s governance and healthcare management. Tomori further criticized the lack of long-term planning, which led to the collapse of these vital facilities. The absence of consistent funding for reagents, equipment, and skilled personnel also contributed to the closure of the labs.
He urged the Nigerian government to conduct an immediate audit of the funds allocated for the establishment of these labs. “An independent audit is essential to hold contractors and officials accountable,” Tomori emphasized. “The government must prioritize reactivating dormant labs and ensure that they are properly funded and maintained.”
The virologist also warned of the severe consequences of this neglect. With many labs now defunct, Nigeria’s testing capacity has been severely compromised. “The inability to test effectively for emerging variants or other infectious diseases leaves the population vulnerable,” Tomori stated.
He referred to the early stages of the pandemic when Nigerians tested positive for COVID-19 while abroad, despite being declared negative before departure. This, he argued, raised serious doubts about the reliability of the country’s testing processes.
To address the gaps, Tomori called for a robust plan to reinstate and maintain the labs. This would require consistent budgets for equipment, reagents, and personnel, as well as ongoing training for lab staff. “Lab personnel must be regularly trained to handle advanced diagnostic tools,” he suggested.
In addition, Tomori stressed the importance of transparent communication from the NCDC. “NCDC must regularly update Nigerians on the status of labs and provide data on testing and surveillance efforts. Transparent communication can rebuild public trust in the healthcare system,” he said.
The former WHO advisor also stressed that the closure of over half of the labs established during the pandemic underscores systemic failures in both governance and public health management. He emphasized that as new variants of COVID-19 emerge globally, Nigeria must address this critical gap in its health infrastructure to avoid the devastating impact of another pandemic.
“The time for action is now — before the next health crisis strikes,” Tomori warned. “This crisis is not just a technical or logistical failure; it is a moral one.”
For Tomori, the failure of the country’s COVID-19 labs is a failure of ethics. “Ethics is the foundation of everything we do. Without it, we build labs that collapse and systems that fail. The lives of Nigerians depend on fixing this,” he stated.
