Experts warn Nigeria’s health surveillance system is ‘vulnerable’

Health experts and government officials have sounded the alarm over Nigeria's disease detection and surveillance systems, citing a decline in donor funding that is exposing deep-seated structural weaknesses across the country. The warning was made at a presentation in Abuja of a report titled A System in Transition: Nigeria Country Report, which assessed the state of the country's public health surveillance, laboratory, and specimen transport systems.

The report paints a grim picture of a system under strain, with Nigeria's surveillance, laboratory, and specimen transport systems struggling to cope with funding disruptions. The report notes that the heavy reliance on donor funding has created fragmented systems that are difficult to sustain. According to the report, systems that rely on parallel funding streams and disease-specific architectures are inherently fragile and vulnerable to collapse when funding shifts.

Experts are now urging domestic investment, particularly at the subnational level, where outbreaks are first detected and managed. They argue that strengthening the health system in Nigeria has become a priority, and that funding is essential to support surveillance, laboratory services, outbreak response, and other critical areas.

The report highlights the impact of funding disruptions on surveillance coverage, laboratory turnaround times, workforce stability, and overall system readiness across the country. Despite these challenges, experts maintain that Nigeria has the capacity to build a more resilient and integrated health system.

Nigeria's health surveillance system is facing a perfect storm of challenges, with declining donor funding exposing deep structural weaknesses across the country. The government's heavy reliance on external funding has created a fragile system that is vulnerable to collapse. The urgent need for domestic investment is clear, particularly at the subnational level where outbreaks are first detected and managed. Nigeria's health system is crying out for sustained funding to support surveillance, laboratory services, and outbreak response. The government must take concrete steps to address these challenges and build a more resilient health system for the benefit of all Nigerians.