FG, Oyo Tasked on Better Remuneration for Laboratory Workers

Ibadan – The critical role of laboratory workers in Nigeria's health, manufacturing, and education sectors is being overshadowed by inadequate remuneration, leading to a significant brain drain, stakeholders warned during the 2026 World Laboratory Day commemoration in Iseyin. The event, themed 'Rethinking The Role of Laboratories in Global Health and Development,' brought together professionals who urged the federal and Oyo State governments to prioritize better compensation for these essential workers.

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Laboratory workers are essential to the growth of health, manufacturing, education, and other institutions. If we continue with the spate of brain-drain in the sector, we may have to continue to complain about the inadequacies.

Taslim Owonikoko, Chief Executive Officer of Berekotry Limited and Chairman of the occasion, stressed that improving the value placed on laboratory workers' earnings is crucial to stemming the tide of migration abroad. "Laboratory workers are essential to the growth of health, manufacturing, education, and other institutions," he stated. Owonikoko emphasized that if the current spate of brain-drain continues, the nation will inevitably grapple with systemic inadequacies. He called for governments to recognize the importance of these professionals and provide them with their due, while also urging the community to value and support local service before individuals seek opportunities overseas.

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It is now a standard or benchmark to have somebody abroad, especially if the person is in the medical line, because of the value in their earnings abroad and the value placed on their living standard.

Beyond remuneration, the event also spotlighted severe regulatory failures, particularly in the sachet water production industry in Iseyin and the Oke-Ogun area. Dr. Femi Oyediran, CEO of Lab21 Services Limited and the event's organizer, decried the lax oversight by regulatory bodies such as NAFDAC, SON, and the Federal and State Ministries of Health. He asserted that the current regulatory and monitoring systems are insufficient, leading to widespread contamination and health crises. "The only test NAFDAC and SON do for sachet water manufacturers covers two years until the people want to renew. So, these people carry out no tests on the water they produce and sell to the people," Oyediran lamented, linking numerous killer diseases and deaths to poisoned water sources.

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The government needs to first identify their importance; the onus is on our government to give the laboratory workers their due, and the community also should be sensitised that before traveling abroad, two or three years should be put into serving the community.

From a Nigerian perspective, this discussion highlights two intertwined issues: the underappreciation of skilled professionals and the critical need for robust regulatory enforcement. The call for better remuneration for lab workers is not just about fair pay; it's about retaining vital expertise within the country to bolster its health infrastructure and industrial capacity. Simultaneously, the exposé on sachet water regulation underscores a persistent challenge in ensuring public safety, where regulatory bodies appear to be failing in their fundamental duty. This situation is particularly concerning given the high burden of waterborne diseases in many parts of Nigeria. The international focus on laboratory work often centers on cutting-edge research, but from a local standpoint, the immediate concern is ensuring basic standards are met and essential workers are valued, preventing both brain drain and public health disasters.

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The only test NAFDAC and SON do for sachet water manufacturers covers two years until the people want to renew. So, these people carry out no tests on the water they produce and sell to the people.