Nigeria: Lab workers demand better pay, decry poor water quality checks

Practitioners in Nigeria's laboratories are sounding the alarm, urging the Federal and Oyo State Governments to address critical issues concerning their welfare and public health. At the 2026 World Laboratory Day event in Iseyin, themed “Rethinking the Role of Laboratories in Global Health and Development,” laboratory workers highlighted the urgent need for improved remuneration and stricter regulation of sachet water production, particularly in Iseyin and the Oke-Ogun areas.

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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 keep complaining about the inadequacies.

The professionals pointed fingers at regulatory bodies like NAFDAC, SON, and the Ministries of Health for their perceived negligence, which they believe contributes to the alarming spread of waterborne diseases, lead poisoning, and typhoid-related fatalities. This situation underscores a systemic failure to prioritize public health infrastructure and oversight.

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

Taslim Owonikoko, Chairman of the occasion and CEO of BEREKOTRY Ltd, emphasized the critical role of laboratory workers in national development, from health to manufacturing and education. He decried the ongoing 'brain drain,' where skilled professionals seek better opportunities abroad due to undervalued earnings and living standards at home. Owonikoko stressed that governments must first recognize the importance of these workers and provide them with their due, while also encouraging a sense of community service before emigration.

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The government needs to first recognise their importance. The onus is on our government to give laboratory workers their due, while the community should also be sensitised that before travelling abroad, individuals should spend two or three years serving the community.

Femi Oyediran, CEO of BEREKOTRY Ltd and organizer of the event, specifically called for a review of regulatory and monitoring systems for consumables like sachet water. He noted that current regulations, where NAFDAC and SON conduct tests only every two years until renewal, leave a significant gap for potential contamination. Oyediran estimated that 1.1 million premature deaths annually in low- and middle-income countries could be averted with adequate testing, urging regular checks for water producers. This call for improved collaboration among stakeholders is vital for strengthening global health security and ensuring safety across human, animal, environmental, and food sectors.

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The only tests NAFDAC and SON conduct for sachet water manufacturers last for two years until renewal. During this period, there are no further checks on the water being produced and sold to the public.