Nigeria’s coronavirus testing lab increases to 23 

By Idowu Abdullahi,

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed that three new coronavirus testing laboratories have been added to the existing facilities, bringing the total numbers of the laboratories in the country to twenty-three.

It explained that the continued spread of the deadly virus to several states in Nigeria had necessitated the new facilities to ensure effective testing; surveillance, detection, and response to the pandemic in the country.

The Centre, through a post on its social media page, on Sunday, said the three added facilities included the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt; Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, Edo State.

It noted that new facilities will bridge the gap between turnaround of tests, and reduce the workload of the NCDC saddled with the responsibility of testing coronavirus cases in the country.

UPDATE: 3 new labs have been included in our molecular laboratory network for #COVID19 at

🧪@UpthOnline, Port Harcourt
🧪@RSUTH_PH satellite lab, Port Harcourt
🧪@ubthng PCR laboratory, Benin

This brings the number of labs in Nigeria with the capacity to test for #COVID19 to 23 pic.twitter.com/MveUAJp5KO

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) May 10, 2020