In the global fight against infectious diseases, laboratories and disease prevention centres are at the front lines, serving as essential hubs for diagnosis, research, and surveillance. Their importance became indisputable during the COVID-19 pandemic, where these facilities were crucial in tracking, diagnosing, and managing the virus. But as the world continues to grapple with the threat of new variants and emerging diseases, Nigeria’s health security infrastructure appears perilously fragile. Despite substantial investments to build over 120 laboratories in response to the pandemic, many of these facilities now stand idle, raising alarms about the country’s preparedness for future health crises. Gom Mirian writes.
Virologists, Professor Oyewale Tomori
In an exclusive interview with Africa Health Report, AHR, one of Nigeria’s foremost virologists, Professor Oyewale Tomori, emphasised the situation’s urgency. “Nigeria is ill-prepared for any future outbreak,” he warned. “We spent millions of naira building laboratories for COVID-19, yet over half of these labs are now abandoned or dysfunctional. We are playing with fire.” His comments come as a stark reminder that Nigeria’s health infrastructure intended to protect its population has been left to deteriorate due to a combination of corruption, mismanagement, and neglect.
NCDC
While the creation of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) in 2011 was meant to strengthen the nation’s defense against infectious diseases, its potential remains largely untapped. Modeled after international bodies like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the NCDC was designed to function independently, with autonomy and funding to carry out its mission. However, the reality has been far from this ideal. A lack of resources, inadequate infrastructure, and poor governance have severely crippled the NCDC’s ability to meet the growing challenges of health security.
Professor Tomori recalled the initial optimism surrounding the establishment of laboratories across the country. “At first, there were just a few labs. Then the number skyrocketed to over a hundred. Every state and local government wanted a piece of the funding that came with these labs,” he explained. “But most of these labs were never built with the long-term in mind; they were more about securing contracts and siphoning off funds.”
Widespread Corruption
He pointed to widespread corruption as a central issue. “Funds allocated for state-of-the-art facilities were often misappropriated, leaving behind substandard structures that couldn’t withstand regular use,” he said.
This failure in governance and oversight has resulted in a significant loss. According to Professor Tomori, “You allocate funds for building a lab—100 naira. But only 20 naira goes into the actual construction, while the rest is siphoned off. After just a few weeks, the lab is non-functional. There’s no reagent, no trained staff, and no equipment. That’s the tragic reality of our labs today.” With over 120 labs set up, he pointed out, nearly half have ceased to function within months of being inaugurated.”
This mismanagement of resources has profound implications not just for health, but for the nation’s broader security. When disease outbreaks occur, the economic and social fabric of a country is put under extreme stress. “The next outbreak will devastate us if we don’t address these issues,” Professor Tomori stressed. “Health is national security. Without the proper infrastructure, we are vulnerable. And our failure to maintain these laboratories shows a catastrophic lack of foresight.”
Despite these warnings, the Nigerian government has largely remained silent on the issue. While the NCDC and the Ministry of Health publicly claim that health security remains a priority, the evidence suggests otherwise.
Unwholesome Acts in the Ministry
A well-placed source within the Ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that “funds meant for laboratory maintenance have been reallocated to other areas. As a result, many of the labs are no longer operational.”
The consequences of this neglect are dire. Without functional laboratories, Nigeria will be ill-equipped to detect and respond to emerging infectious diseases, such as new strains of viruses or antimicrobial resistance.
The country’s ability to control outbreaks will be further hindered by the lack of trained personnel and resources at these centers.
Ebola Outbreak
The lessons learned from the 2014 Ebola outbreak, where Nigeria’s swift and effective response was lauded globally, may no longer be applicable. Experts caution that a similar outbreak today would overwhelm the country’s weakened infrastructure.
The economic impact of a health crisis in Nigeria would also be felt far beyond its borders. As one of Africa’s largest economies, Nigeria’s stability is crucial to the region’s economic health.
An epidemic in the country could disrupt trade, tourism, and industries, sending shockwaves across the continent. With a population of over 200 million, Nigeria also plays a vital role in global health security. Its failure to address its health vulnerabilities could have ripple effects that extend far beyond its borders.
For Nigeria, the time to act is now. As experts and health professionals stress, the current state of the nation’s health infrastructure cannot be ignored. “We must stop playing politics with health security,” said Professor Tomori. “The government needs to prioritise the maintenance of these laboratories, not just during outbreaks, but continuously.” He called for a comprehensive, long-term plan to sustain these vital resources, which would require consistent funding, improved governance, and a commitment to transparency.
Tomori’s plea for sustained attention to Nigeria’s health security infrastructure is echoed by other experts. “Preparedness is not a one-off exercise,” he said. “It’s a continuous process that requires investment, training, and constant evaluation.”
Long-Term Plan
He argued that the NCDC should shift its focus from merely controlling diseases to preventing them altogether. “Prevention is far more cost-effective than control,” he noted. “The NCDC should be coordinating preventive activities at the state and local levels, not scrambling to contain outbreaks once they’ve already spread.”
Professor Tomori also underscored the glaring disparity in resources allocated to political elites versus disease prevention efforts. “While government officials travel with convoys of vehicles, disease surveillance teams are left to operate with almost no resources,” he said. “Until we change this mentality, we will continue to be caught unprepared when disease strikes.”
In the face of global health threats, Nigeria cannot afford to wait for another crisis to serve as a wake-up call. The time to act is now. The laboratories and disease prevention infrastructure established during the pandemic are invaluable assets that must be preserved and maintained if Nigeria is to protect its citizens and its economy. If the government fails to act decisively, the country’s next health crisis may reveal the true cost of this neglect measured not only in lives lost but in the long-term economic and social damage that will take decades to repair.
Next Health Crisis
For a nation that aspires to global leadership, Nigeria cannot afford to ignore its vulnerabilities. The lesson of the COVID-19 pandemic is clear: health security is not just about crisis management; it is about proactive, sustained investment in the systems that prevent those crises from escalating. If Nigeria does not act now to safeguard its future health security, the consequences will be catastrophic—both for the country and for the world.
Glimpse into the Future
The time for action is not tomorrow—it is today. Nigeria’s health security is on the brink, and the clock is ticking. The government must now act decisively to preserve the country’s laboratories and disease prevention infrastructure, ensuring that the lessons of the pandemic are not forgotten, and that Nigeria remains prepared for whatever the future may bring.