The call for improved laboratory workers wages has intensified as practitioners in Oyo State urged federal and state governments to address poor remuneration and strengthen water quality monitoring systems. The appeal was made during the 2026 World Laboratory Day event held in Iseyin, where stakeholders highlighted the link between workforce welfare and public health outcomes.
Participants stressed that improving laboratory workers wages and enforcing stricter checks on consumables such as sachet water are essential to reducing disease risks.
Laboratory services play a critical role in health systems, manufacturing, education, and environmental monitoring. Professionals in this sector are responsible for testing, calibration, and quality assurance processes that directly affect public safety.
In Nigeria, concerns have been raised about the migration of skilled professionals, particularly in the health and laboratory sectors, driven by better remuneration and working conditions abroad. Stakeholders argue that weak incentives continue to undermine capacity within local systems.
The issue of water quality has also remained a public health priority, as contaminated water sources are linked to diseases such as typhoid, lead poisoning, and other infections.
At the event themed “Rethinking the Role of Laboratories in Global Health and Development,” participants called for urgent reforms to improve laboratory workers wages and address regulatory gaps in water quality monitoring. The programme was organised by Lab21 Services Limited in collaboration with the Association of Analytical and Calibration Laboratory Directors.
Chairman of the occasion and Chief Executive Officer of BEREKOTRY Ltd, Taslim Owonikoko, stated that laboratory professionals are essential across sectors, warning that continued neglect of their welfare could worsen the ongoing brain drain. He said, “Laboratory workers are essential to the growth of health, manufacturing, education and other institutions.”
In a lecture delivered at the event, organiser and CEO of BEREKOTRY Ltd, Femi Oyediran, criticised existing regulatory practices for sachet water production. He noted that inspections conducted by agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria often lapse after initial certification, leaving extended periods without further checks.
Oyediran linked gaps in monitoring to increased exposure to contaminated water, stating that regular inspections are necessary to safeguard public health. He added that improved collaboration among stakeholders is required to strengthen laboratory systems and enhance disease prevention efforts.
The demand for better laboratory workers wages highlights broader concerns about workforce retention and capacity in Nigeria’s scientific and health sectors. Without improved remuneration, stakeholders warn that skilled professionals may continue to migrate, weakening local systems.
The call for enhanced water quality checks also underscores the relationship between regulation and public health outcomes. Strengthening monitoring systems may reduce disease incidence and improve safety standards in communities dependent on packaged water products.
