AKOR SYLVESTER, Abuja
The minister of state for health and social welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, has identified chronic gap in diagnostic capacity as a major challenge in the nation’s quest for advancing quality patient care in the country.
He said, across West Africa, estimates indicate that between 85 and 99 percent of medical equipment and invitro diagnostics are imported, leaving the health facilities vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, high costs and inequitable access to care.
Salako who made the remarks at the official Opening of WHX Lagos 2026 – World Health Expo on Tuesday, commended WHX Lagos and HFN for working deliberately to close the gap, year after year, connecting Nigerian hospitals, laboratories, and policymakers with global manufacturers, distributors and innovators who can supply fit-for-purpose solutions at scale, for the right pricing and within a specified time frame.
He noted that, through the expo innovative point-of-care diagnostic tools, portable imaging equipment, automated laboratory systems and digital health platforms are progressively finding their way into the public health facilities.
Salako stated that, beyond the exhibitions and exposure to latest healthcare technologies, the conference tracks by HFN has helped to elevate policy discourse on regulatory harmonisation, local content development, and sustainable procurement models, all directly aligned with the priorities of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
He said: “I am happy to report that the conversations held on this platform year in, year out have directly shaped a number of the policy commitments that our Ministry has since pursued. WHX Lagos and HFN has influenced the national health agenda in ways that go well beyond the exhibition hall.
“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is happy to continue forging a workable collaboration with the private sector. Partnerships in shaping policy agenda, as we engaged consistently with the Healthcare Market Access & Policy Leadership Forum, convened in partnership with the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria. The ministry value the forum as a structured space for dialogue on regulatory frameworks, AfCFTA-aligned trade in health commodities, and investment facilitation, all of which bear directly on the provision of appropriate health technologies to our hospitals.
“Our commitment to improving access to modern equipments and technologies in hospitals is therefore backed by concrete action. In 2024 for example, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved a sweeping health infrastructure upgrade programme in collaboration with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). This initiative is delivering oncology and nuclear medicine centres across six tertiary hospitals, alongside expanded capabilities in diagnostic radiology, clinical pathology, and cardiac care.
“The phased programme includes the establishment of 22 modern medical diagnostic centres, six additional oncology facilities, and seven cardiac catheterisation laboratories distributed across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
“Similarly in August 2024, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare inaugurated the $1.2 billion Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) initiative – a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s health system addressing financing, workforce development and infrastructure.
“For the 2025 fiscal year, the Federal Government committed ₦402 billion for health sector infrastructure investment, signalling an unprecedented resolve to bring quality care within reach of every Nigerian. Our vision is for platforms like WHX Lagos to serve as a critical conduit for translating this investment ambition into tangible technology access for our hospitals and patients.
“WHX Lagos 2026 indeed comes with higher stakes and greater ambitions arriving at a particularly pivotal moment.
“Nigeria’s healthcare sector is forecast to grow by 7.1 percent, to reach an anticipated market value of US$161.7 million by 2027. The West Africa’s broader health market, valued at over $11 billion, is now under greater pressure than ever to develop resilient local supply chains, attract quality investment, and deliver universal health coverage.
“Against this backdrop, the three days of exhibitions, accredited conferences, product showcases and networking that lie ahead carry enormous strategic importance.
“I encourage every participant, whether as a hospital administrator, a procurement officer, a technology innovator, a financier, or a frontline health professional to engage fully with the opportunities this platform presents. Nigeria is open for healthcare investment. Our federal tertiary hospitals need the very best in diagnostic equipment, therapeutic technologies and digital health infrastructure, and we are determined to ensure that what is showcased here ultimately reaches the patients who need it most through a multiprong approach including PPPs.”
He said the federal government remained deeply committed to a health system that is equitable, efficient, and fit for the future.
According to him: “We have developed several bold initiatives to drive reforms in the health sector such as the Presidential Initiative to Unlock Healthcare Value Chains (PVAC) and the Presidential Executive Order for Pharmaceutical and Allied Sectors, targeted at revitaliz!ing local manufacturing as a driving force for Nigeria’s Health Sector reforms. PVAC aims to catalyse health security, economic growth and employment by accelerating value-chain transformation through cross-institutional coordination and collaboration.
“Platforms such as WHX Lagos play a vital role in accelerating that vision by bringing world-class health technologies to our doorstep, forging the partnerships that translate innovation into access, and sustaining the policy conversations that must accompany every technological investment.”
The minister congratulated Informa Markets and the entire organising team for the dedication that has made World Health Expo Lagos one of Africa’s most impactful healthcare gatherings, while thanking the international partners, exhibitors, and delegates for choosing Nigeria as the home of this distinguished event.
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