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Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: SYNLAB Nigeria’s Journey in Diagnostics Care
“From the onset, there was a clear vision that this was going to be run not with the level of mediocrity that existed at the time, but it was going to be run as an international organization with the best practices.
So, there was excellence on-site from the get-go, and that was how the business was birthed,” said Kenneth Okolie, CEO of SYNLAB Nigeria.
These words encapsulate the bold aspirations that shaped the organization 20 years ago and continue to drive it today.
As SYNLAB celebrates its 20th anniversary, it reflects on two decades of reshaping healthcare diagnostics in Nigeria and the West African region.
From its early days as PathCare to its evolution into SYNLAB, the organization has consistently raised the bar in diagnostics care. PathCare, now SYNLAB, was the first ISO-accredited laboratory in West Africa, setting a new standard for healthcare quality and ethical practice.
This commitment to excellence has resulted in numerous firsts over the years, positioning SYNLAB as a leader in driving accessible and reliable healthcare services.
“We’ve been at the forefront of driving quality and accessible healthcare in this part of the world.
In Nigeria specifically, we have modelled what ethical practice in healthcare should be, collaborating with the government and public sector at different levels—federal, state, and local—to bring quality healthcare closer to the people,” Okolie remarked.
SYNLAB’s contributions to healthcare extend beyond Nigeria. By driving partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and the clinical research industry, SYNLAB has leveraged its expertise to advance science and localize tests that previously had to be sent abroad.
“We’ve done millions of tests and localized tons of diagnostics services that might not have been possible a couple of years ago,” Okolie noted, emphasizing SYNLAB’s impact on improving healthcare accessibility and affordability.
SYNLAB’s role in Nigeria’s healthcare ecosystem goes beyond diagnostics. Through collaborations with government and private institutions, the organization has been instrumental in advancing policies, infrastructure, and public health initiatives.
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SYNLAB’s contributions to health education and advocacy have also been groundbreaking. It organizes quarterly webinars that educate the public on critical health issues and maintains a popular SYNLAB Podcast series, which features medical experts addressing pressing health topics.
These initiatives reflect SYNLAB’s commitment to empowering communities with knowledge and encouraging preventive healthcare.
Looking Ahead
“What would the next 20 years hold for SYNLAB? Well, 20 years is a lot to look out for, but I can say for a fact what we can look out for in the next 3–5 years,” said Okolie.
SYNLAB’s vision for the future includes:
• Becoming a more ambitious organization with increased investments in Nigeria.
• Driving quality healthcare even further and expanding partnerships with the government to improve access to care.
• Advocating universal basic healthcare and working closely with stakeholders to achieve this goal.
• Localizing even more tests to reduce dependency on external laboratories.
“SYNLAB looks forward to keeping pushing the envelope with regards to advancements in healthcare.
We are looking to become not just a household name in Nigeria but a leader in diagnostics within the West African space and, by extension, the sub-Saharan African region,” Okolie concluded.
A Celebration of Milestones
To mark this momentous occasion, SYNLAB Nigeria has lined up a series of activities, including free health screenings, and community outreach programs, discount sales and an anniversary dinner with relevant stakeholders.
These initiatives are a testament to SYNLAB’s gratitude to its patients, partners, and staff, who have made its 20-year journey a success.
As SYNLAB Nigeria celebrates this milestone, it reaffirms its commitment to delivering world-class diagnostics services, advancing healthcare innovation, and empowering Nigerians to live healthier lives.
About SYNLAB
• SYNLAB Nigeria is a member of the SYNLAB group, with presence in 35 countries in four continents. The organization has over 30 active locations across Nigeria and has been ISO 15189 certified since 2006.
• SYNLAB Group is the leader in medical diagnostic services and specialty testing in Europe. The Group offers a full range of innovative and reliable medical diagnostics to patients, practicing doctors, hospitals and clinics, governments and corporates.
• Providing the leading level of service within the industry, SYNLAB is the partner of choice for routine and specialty diagnostics in human and veterinary medicine. The Group continuously innovates medical diagnostic services for the benefit of patients and customers.
• SYNLAB holds leading positions in most markets, regularly reinforcing the strength of its network through a proven acquisition strategy.
• More information can be found on www.synlab.com, www.synlab.com.ng
Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has taken legal steps against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing her of defamation and incitement.
Bello, through his lawyer N.A. Abubakar, on Wednesday petitioned the Inspector General of Police, urging the force to invite the senator to present evidence backing the allegations she made against him at a recent event.
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The former governor insists that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan falsely accused him of being involved in an assassination plot during her homecoming ceremony on April 1, 2025, in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The petition described her statements as both “malicious” and harmful, urging the police to prosecute her if she fails to justify her claims.
“Where she fails to do so, cause her to be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the law for criminal defamation, inciting public disturbance, and spreading false information injurious to public peace,” Bello’s lawyer wrote in the petition.
In addition to involving the police, Bello has also sent a personal demand letter to the senator via another lawyer, R.O. Balogun, asking her to issue a retraction and a public apology or risk facing legal consequences.
Bello’s legal team argues that her allegations violate Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015.
“By accusing our client of plotting an assassination and naming him as a co-conspirator in a purported murder plot (with an attempt to disguise the killing as mob or ethnic violence), Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan has:
“Gravely damaged our client’s reputation by portraying him as a violent and vengeful political actor and misled the public and tried to incite ethnic and political distrust, especially among clans of Ebiraland in particular and the people of Kogi Central in general.
“Brought his name into disrepute on the basis of an allegation so weighty that, if left unchallenged, could harm his political career and personal safety; and abused her parliamentary status and platform by propagating such falsehoods without evidence, in a very public and politically charged setting,” the solicitor noted.
The Rivers State Government has debunked reports making the rounds on social media, which alleged that the Sole Administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Etteh Ibas (Rtd.), had summoned suspended Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, to a meeting scheduled for Friday, April 18, 2025.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, the administration described the report as entirely false and intended to mislead the public.
The government warned against the spread of fake news, which it said was a calculated attempt to create panic and destabilize the state.
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The statement, signed by Sir Dede Sampson Friday, Permanent Secretary from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), condemned the social media posts, which it labeled as malicious and fraudulent.
“The Rivers State Government has become aware of fraudulent announcements circulating on social media, falsely attributed to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government,” the statement noted.
“These malicious fabrications are designed to mislead the public, create panic, and disrupt the peace in Rivers State.”
One of the false messages specifically claimed that Governor Fubara and his deputy had been invited to Government House to answer questions regarding appointments and other matters of state.
Reacting to this, the state government firmly dismissed the announcement as fake and emphasized that no such directive was ever issued.
“The Rivers State Government categorically states that this announcement is fake and did not originate from any official source.
The public is urged to disregard this and any similar misinformation, as they are the work of troublemakers seeking to destabilize the state.”
The government further urged citizens to remain cautious and seek information only through verified platforms, highlighting the state’s official website — www.riversstate.gov.ng — as a reliable source for accurate updates.
Following the deadly attack on Otobi community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia has confirmed the arrest of two suspects linked to the killings.
The attack, which took place on Tuesday evening, saw suspected armed herders invade the community, unleashing violence that left at least eleven people dead.
Several houses were set ablaze during the onslaught, forcing many residents to flee to nearby villages.
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Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Governor Alia described the attack as “condemnable” and assured the public that security agencies were working to track down everyone involved.
He also disclosed that three suspected herdsmen had been apprehended in connection with the incident.
“The National Security Advisor has promised to deploy more security operatives to the state following the current wave of attacks in the state, particularly, the incessant attacks on Otukpo,” Alia said.
He further appealed to security personnel to intensify efforts in ensuring the perpetrators are brought to book.
Reacting to the incident, the lawmaker representing Otukpo constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Kennedy Angbo, confirmed the attack and shared that the assailants stormed the community around 5:30 pm on Tuesday.
Angbo noted that nine bodies were recovered on the night of the attack, while two more were discovered on Wednesday morning.
He also added that several survivors who sustained injuries are currently receiving medical attention in Otukpo.
Meanwhile, security operatives have reportedly been deployed to the area as authorities intensify efforts to restore calm and prevent further attacks.
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