AMLSN Raises Alarm Over Nigeria’s 99% Dependence on Imported Diagnostic Products, Demands Urgent Reform

The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has issued a strong warning that Nigeria’s near-total reliance on imported diagnostic products and laboratory reagents poses a severe threat to national health security, economic stability, and the quality of healthcare delivery, calling for urgent policy reforms and massive investment in local manufacturing capacity.

In a detailed position paper released on Tuesday, the association revealed that Nigeria imports approximately 99 percent of its diagnostic test kits, laboratory reagents, chemicals, and consumables, spending over $400 million annually on these items. This heavy dependence, AMLSN argues, exposes the country to global supply chain disruptions, sharp foreign exchange fluctuations, counterfeit products, and unnecessary delays in disease diagnosis and treatment.

The National President of AMLSN, Dr. Ifeanyi Casmir, described the situation as “unsustainable and dangerous,” warning that any disruption in global supply ,whether due to pandemics, geopolitical conflicts, or trade restrictions ,could paralyse laboratory services across Nigeria’s hospitals and diagnostic centres.

“We cannot continue to depend on other countries for something as fundamental as laboratory reagents and diagnostic tools,” Dr. Casmir said. “This is a national security issue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw how fragile our diagnostic supply chain was. We must learn from that experience and begin the process of building local capacity immediately.”

The association highlighted the massive drain on Nigeria’s foreign reserves caused by these imports. With the naira under constant pressure and foreign exchange scarcity persisting, the cost of diagnostic products has skyrocketed, leading to higher out-of-pocket expenses for patients and reduced access to laboratory testing, especially in rural and underserved areas.

AMLSN also raised concerns about the quality and authenticity of many imported products. The group claimed that a significant percentage of reagents and test kits entering the Nigerian market are either substandard or outright counterfeit, compromising the accuracy of test results and endangering patient lives.

“False negatives and false positives due to poor-quality reagents are more common than we care to admit,” Dr. Casmir noted. “This affects diagnosis of infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and even routine medical checks. We are essentially gambling with the health of our citizens every single day.”

To address the crisis, AMLSN made several far-reaching recommendations to the Federal Government:

- Immediate development and implementation of a National Diagnostic and Laboratory Reagents Manufacturing Policy.

- Provision of tax incentives, low-interest loans, and land grants to encourage local pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies to begin domestic production.

- Establishment of at least one world-class National Diagnostic Manufacturing Hub in each geopolitical zone.

- Stronger regulation and quality control at ports of entry to block substandard and counterfeit products.

- Increased funding for research and development in medical laboratory science, particularly in the areas of reagent formulation and biotechnology.

- Mandatory local content requirements in public procurement of laboratory supplies.

The association also called for closer collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and tertiary institutions to fast-track local production capabilities.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who received the AMLSN position paper, acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns. He assured the association that the ministry is already working on a comprehensive strategy to reduce dependence on imported medical products, including diagnostics and reagents. However, he noted that building local manufacturing capacity would require significant investment, technology transfer, and time.

Representatives of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) also attended the presentation and expressed willingness to collaborate on local production initiatives. They called for clearer government policy direction, improved power supply, and better access to long-term financing for manufacturers.

Public health experts and economists have increasingly described Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported pharmaceuticals and diagnostics as both an economic liability and a national security risk. In times of global crisis , whether pandemics, wars, or supply chain breakdowns , the country becomes dangerously vulnerable.

AMLSN believes that with the right policies, Nigeria has the potential to become a major producer and exporter of diagnostic products and laboratory reagents in Africa. The association pointed to countries like India, South Africa, and Egypt, which have successfully built domestic manufacturing capacity through deliberate government support and private sector investment.

As Nigeria continues to battle multiple public health challenges, including recurring outbreaks of Lassa fever, cholera, measles, and other infectious diseases, the ability to produce accurate and timely diagnostic tools locally has become more critical than ever.

The association concluded its statement with a urgent appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to treat the development of local diagnostic manufacturing capacity as a national priority under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The time for excuses is over,” Dr. Casmir said. “We have the manpower, the market, and the need. What we lack is the political will and strategic investment. We call on the President to act decisively before another health emergency catches us unprepared.”

The coming weeks will reveal whether this latest alarm from medical laboratory scientists will translate into concrete policy action or join the long list of ignored warnings about Nigeria’s fragile health security architecture.