By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

The Scientific Products Association of Nigeria, SPAN has called for renewed commitment to science and laboratory practices as key enablers of sustainable national development, saying Nigeria cannot continue to graduate children based on analogue in a digital world.

Also, SPAN announced SPANINNOVATE 2025 conference & exhibition scheduled to hold on November 28 to 29, 2025 in Lagos with theme: “Science, Laboratory, and Sustainable National Development”, a platform that seek to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation by connecting government, academia, industry, and research to drive measurable progress for the country.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos heralding SPAN Innovate 2025, President of SPAN, Mrs. Kate Isa, called for synergy to ensure that science and laboratory practices remain key enabler on Nigeria’s journey towards sustainable national development.

We will not rest until we see the actualization, Nigeria is waiting for the science community. We are seeing more cancer cases disease condition and agricultural issues, some of our product get barred from being exported.

As a nation, oil has failed us, we need to find other alternative to move on and science laboratory is critical in that. We have visited the Minister of Science and Technology, It is an emergency to get our curriculum upgraded, it is an urgent mission, if we do not do it we are finished, we cannot graduate children based on analogue in a digital world.

We equip labs for research, we are self regulated and insist on quality. We are working to drive competence in science and laboratory

At SPAN, we believe that science is not just the foundation of technology—it is the bedrock of every sustainable economy. If Nigeria must compete globally and achieve true self-reliance, science and laboratory development must take centre stage in policy, investment, and national planning.

She said the association has entered into partnerships with institutions such as the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, PVAC, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, and we acknowledge the support of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, STAN, and the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria, IPAN, among others.

However, National Coordinator of PVAC, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar would flag off the conference, and lead the signing a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU between PVAC and SPAN.

“These collaborations reflect our collective resolve to build a science-driven economy—one where innovation is not just celebrated, but applied to solve real national challenges”, she said.

On his part, Chairman of Finlab, Uzomba Nwojie, said: “laboratory is not negotiable if we wants to move forward as a nation in this economy, if we want to be creative, lucrative, if we want to have quality products. No matter the noise we make about this economy, if we do not back up this economy with laboratories we are going nowhere. Check most developed countries of the world; they have the highest number of laboratories.

“Science is not something you preach, it is practical. Laboratories safeguard our nations by verifying the safety of the food we eat, the drugs we take, and the chemicals we use. “We must build and enforce the rules that make science sustainable and credible. That is why this association exists to make sure things are done the right way,” Nwojie said.

Also, Managing Director of Turner Wright Biosciences Ltd/veterinarian, Tunde Lawal, said that SPAN is focus is on collaboration and self-regulation within Nigeria’s science sector.
“There has been significant progress in Nigeria’s standardisation over the last two decades. Science is universal.”