Market Trends of Nigeria Clinical Laboratory Services Industry
Microbiology Testing is Expected to Hold the Significant Market Share
Microbiology testing is expected to occupy a large share of the market over the next few years. Microbiology testing is used to find out if a disease is caused by a microorganism, like a virus or bacteria. Nigeria has many infectious diseases, and people are becoming more aware of and able to get microbiology testing. This is likely to drive growth in the segment in Nigeria.
Nigeria had the second-largest HIV epidemic in the world and one of the highest rates of new infections in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), there were around 1,900,000 adults and children living with HIV in Nigeria in 2021.
Similarly, the rate of infectious diseases like Lassa fever, yellow fever, monkeypox, cholera, and new strains of existing pathogens like Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C in Nigeria has increased. According to the article published in BMC Infectious Diseases in 2021 by Terna Nomhwange, yellow fever outbreaks in Nigeria occurred in four epidemic blocks, resulting in 7894 suspected cases and 287 laboratory-confirmed cases.
Furthermore, there was more demand for microbiology testing services in the country because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, laboratories have focused on expanding the testing capacity. For instance, in April 2021, 54 Gene increased Nigeria's laboratory testing capacity for COVID-19 with a mobile laboratory in Ogun. Thus, the microbiology testing market is likely to show growth over the forecast period in Nigeria.
Hematology Testing Segment is Expected to Register a Healthy CAGR over the Forecast Period
Hematology is a branch of medicine that deals with blood and blood-related disorders. Hematology tests include various tests on the blood, blood proteins, and blood-producing organs to evaluate a variety of blood conditions, including infection, anemia, inflammation, hemophilia, blood-clotting disorders, leukemia, and the body's response to chemotherapy treatments. A hematological analysis is more affordable and widely available than several more precise procedures. The growing burden of blood-related disorders, which drives the demand for hematology tests, and advancements in technology for the development of hematology testing with advanced features are the major drivers for the growth of the segment studied.
According to the study published in Public Health in Practice in June 2022, 68.1% of children aged 6-59 months in Nigeria had anemia. The state with the highest prevalence was Zamfara, with 84.0%. Thus, the significant burden of blood disorders in Nigeria is expected to boost the growth of the market studied over the forecast period.
Players in the market are engaging in activities like launching new products, forming partnerships, merging with other companies, and buying other companies. These are all strategic moves that should help the market grow. For instance, the Delta Plus Diagnostics facility that opened in Ogunu in April 2022 has a fully equipped molecular laboratory that tests COVID-19 and blood for hospitals, health management organizations (HMOs), corporations, and individuals.
Thus, all the aforementioned factors are expected to boost the segment over the forecast period.
