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By Sunday Ani
Experts in laboratory technology and healthcare have declared that artificial intelligence (AI), would revolutionize Nigeria’s medical laboratories, making diagnostics faster, safer and more accurate.
The assertion was made at the seventh Biennial Professional Lecture of the Association of Science Laboratory Technologists of Nigeria (ASLTON), Idi-Araba branch, held at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
The event, themed, ‘The utilisation of AI in laboratory instrumentation: Smart instruments and real-time data analysis,’ sparked a national conversation on the role of smart technologies in healthcare.
A systems engineer at UNILAG, Professor Theophilus Akinfenwa Fashanu, warned that Nigeria risked lagging behind if it failed to integrate AI into laboratory operations.
“AI is not coming; it’s already inside your machines. While labs abroad use AI to detect diseases like tuberculosis from a single drop of blood with 95 percent accuracy, many Nigerian labs are still battling with unstable power and outdated equipment. The gap is real, and it’s widening,” he said.
Acting Registrar and Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT), Dr. Peter Adefisoye Oluwafisoye, noted that AI was reshaping fields from spectroscopy to molecular diagnostics.
“This is not about replacing people. It’s about empowering our technologists with smarter tools that improve speed, safety and accuracy,” he said.
He also unveiled the highlights of the NISLT 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, which includes digitizing certification processes, integrating AI into training curricula and creating a network of connected smart laboratories across teaching hospitals.
ASLTON national president, Mr. Ayotunde Omorilewa, urged greater sponsorship for training and attendance at the 2025 ASLTON/NISLT Joint Conference in Port Harcourt.
He also called for improved staffing, modern equipment and inclusion of technologists in healthcare decision-making.
Host chairperson, Mrs. Afolabi Tosin Folashade, highlighted ASLTON’s community service efforts, including free medical screenings and eye care programmes, but appealed for more funding.
“We appreciate every kobo from the university and TETFUND, but we need consistent funding and modern tools. We are not just support staff; we are essential,” she said.
Despite challenges, such as power outages and manual processes, participants agreed that integrating AI into laboratories was key to improving healthcare delivery. “Nigeria’s healthcare revolution won’t start in the operating theatre,” one speaker concluded. “It will start in the laboratory, quiet, precise and powered by data.”
