Mirian Gom 
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government has described medical diagnostics as a strategic national asset and called for stronger local production, quality assurance and market development to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported diagnostic products.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja while declaring open the 28th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors (GMLD).
Salako, represented by the Director and Head of the Medical Laboratory Services Division in the ministry, Dr Emeka Elom, said accurate and timely diagnosis was critical to healthcare delivery, disease surveillance and public health decision-making.
He said achieving diagnostic sovereignty required more than producing medical tests locally, stressing the importance of technology transfer, research, effective regulation, sustainable procurement and strategic partnerships.
“The Federal Government recognises diagnostics as a strategic national asset.
“Nigeria’s path towards diagnostic sovereignty requires more than local production; it requires stronger national capacity, technology transfer, research and innovation, effective regulation, sustainable procurement and strategic partnerships that can generate access to quality, affordable and timely diagnostic services,” Salako said.
The GMLD National President, Dr Samuel Fele, called for an end to Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported diagnostic reagents, consumables and equipment.
Fele said the conference theme, “From Diagnostic Sovereignty to Market Readiness: Building Nigeria’s End-to-End Diagnostics Ecosystem,” was a call to action for stakeholders.
“The question is no longer whether Nigeria can produce the diagnostic products, but whether we can establish a competitive, sustainable, innovative, and quality-assured diagnostic industry capable of serving Nigeria and the broader African market.
“That is the essence of market readiness,” he said.
Fele said Nigeria’s reliance on imported diagnostic products had resulted in missed opportunities for local employment and industrial development.
He pointed to the African in-vitro diagnostics market, valued at $1.33 billion in 2024, and growing demand for point-of-care and rapid diagnostic products as opportunities for Nigerian manufacturers.
However, he stressed that efforts to achieve diagnostic sovereignty must not compromise quality.
He called for an end-to-end system linking research, innovation, manufacturing, regulation, quality assurance, distribution, laboratories, healthcare providers, patients and data.
“If any link in this chain is weak, the entire system remains vulnerable,” Fele said.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Korede Abdullah 