… Says it is a tragic failure of ethics, governance, and planning

By Chioma Obinna

Amidst global concerns about the resurgence of COVID-19 variants, a renowned virologist, Professor Oyewale Tomori, on Friday raised the alarm that despite millions of naira spent to establish over 120 labs during the pandemic’s peak, that over 60 of the facilities are no longer operational, leaving the nation ill-prepared for future health crises.

Tomori, who is a former World Health Organisation, WHO, Advisor, described the situation as “back to square one.”

In an interview with Vanguard at the sidelines of the of the official unveiling of NIMR laboratory equipment by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare in Lagos, said: “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 of ethics, governance, and planning.”

He described the situation as “back to square one.”

Tomori who argued that the country was not still prepared for another pandemic said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), tasked with leading the country’s pandemic response, initially heralded the establishment of molecular labs as a major success.

He said these labs were built to strengthen diagnostic capabilities and decentralize testing across the country, said NCDC’s own website, until recently, listed numerous labs as non-functional.

He queried why the labs are not operational.

Tracing the closure of the laboratories to corruption and mismanagement, lack of maintenance among others, he said the construction and equipping of many labs were marred by corruption. He said funds allocated for state-of-the-art facilities were reportedly siphoned off, leaving substandard structures that could not withstand sustained use.

“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,” said Prof. Tomori.

He said laboratories require consistent funding for reagents, equipment maintenance, and skilled personnel.

He alleged that once the immediate urgency of COVID-19 waned, support for the labs diminished and many lacked the necessary resources to continue operations.

He also identified the issue of poor oversight and planning and

criticised the absence of a long-term plan to integrate these labs into Nigeria’s broader healthcare infrastructure.

He argued that Wwthout clear accountability mechanisms, many labs fell into neglect shortly after they were established.

He posited that the closure of the labs has far-reaching consequences, adding that Nigeria’s current testing capacity is severely limited, compromising disease surveillance and outbreak preparedness.

“The inability to test effectively for emerging variants or other infectious diseases leaves the population vulnerable.

For example, during the early stages of the pandemic, Nigerians traveling abroad tested positive for COVID-19 despite being declared negative before departure. This raised questions about the reliability of the country’s testing processes.”

To address the problem, he recommended immediate audit and accountability, adding that an independent audit of the funds allocated for COVID-19 labs is essential.

“Contractors and officials responsible for substandard labs must be held accountable. The government must prioritise reactivating dormant labs. This includes allocating funds for equipment, reagents, and personnel, as well as establishing robust maintenance frameworks.

He said lboratories should have dedicated budgets to ensure continuous operation, even in non-crisis periods. This includes training programs for lab personnel to manage advanced diagnostic tools.

“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  closure of over half of Nigeria’s COVID-19 laboratories underscores systemic failures in governance and public health management.

He said as the new variants of the virus emerge globally, the country must urgently address this gap to avoid a repeat of the pandemic’s devastating impact.

“The time for action is now — before the next health crisis strikes.

This crisis is not just a technical or logistical failure; it is a moral one.

“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,” Tomori stated.