The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), in collaboration with the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), has officially handed over the upgraded National External Quality Assessment Laboratory (NEQAL) in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The initiative is a strategic effort to strengthen Nigeria’s laboratory diagnostics, disease prevention, and quality assurance systems.
Speaking at the handover ceremony on Monday, the Director-General of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, said the facility was upgraded with support from the Global Fund. Represented by Mustapha Ya’u, Acting Director of Finance and Accounts at NACA, Ilori described the project as a significant step toward enhancing healthcare delivery across the country.
“We are pleased to deliver this project to MLSCN to boost diagnostic services and improve health outcomes in Nigeria,” he said.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Abbas Tajudeen, who was represented by the Chairman of Zaria Local Government Area, Jamil Mohammed, described the upgrade as a critical investment in healthcare infrastructure and Nigeria’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Tajudeen praised NACA’s leadership in driving the project and acknowledged the support of development partners, particularly the Global Fund, in enhancing Nigeria’s laboratory systems and diagnostic capacity for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
“The upgrade has repositioned the laboratory to deliver more accurate, reliable, and efficient testing, thereby safeguarding patient safety and improving the quality of healthcare services,” he said.
While noting Nigeria’s progress in combating HIV/AIDS through NACA’s multi-sectoral approach, Tajudeen warned that rising new infections in some demographics could threaten the goal of ending the epidemic by 2030. He called for intensified awareness campaigns, stronger prevention strategies, and expanded access to antiretroviral therapy, particularly to close gaps in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
He described the upgraded NEQAL as a milestone that would eliminate delays in producing External Quality Assessment (EQA) panels abroad, improve sustainability, and enhance the credibility of laboratory results nationwide. Tajudeen also urged MLSCN to ensure professional and ethical management of the facility by certified personnel, cautioning that poor staffing had undermined past public health investments.
In his remarks, the Acting Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of MLSCN, Dr Donald Ibe Ofili, hailed the upgraded NEQAL as a game changer for diagnostic quality, patient safety, and laboratory excellence in Nigeria.
“The project goes beyond infrastructure development; it represents a decisive step toward improving the reliability, accuracy, and consistency of medical laboratory services nationwide,” he said, commending NACA for its effective management of the Global Fund RSSH2 and C19RM grants that made the upgrade possible.
Ofili also acknowledged the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) for supporting NEQAL’s initial establishment in 2009, and the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) for sustained technical support. He further praised the Global Fund for its continued commitment to fighting HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
According to him, the upgrade will reduce the cost of EQA panels, boost local production, and strengthen the sustainability of laboratory quality assurance in Nigeria. He added that the upgraded NEQAL positions Nigeria as a regional hub for laboratory quality assurance in West Africa, contributing to regional health security and diagnostic excellence.
Ofili reiterated that participation in EQA is mandatory for all public and private medical laboratories in Nigeria, describing it as the gold standard for ensuring accurate and reliable test results that support sound clinical decisions and public confidence.
He called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, development partners, and other stakeholders to build a resilient laboratory system in the country.
