Roche Expands Its Diagnostics Operations In Nigeria

Roche Diagnostics has launched its new diagnostics legal entity in Nigeria, reinforcing its commitment to expanding access to high-quality diagnostics across the continent.

This expansion aligns with Roche’s 10-Year Diagnostics Strategy for Africa, which aims to increase access to in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) tenfold. As Africa’s largest and most populous economy, Nigeria presents significant opportunities for healthcare investment and innovation.

With a history of over 70 years in Africa, Roche is uniquely positioned to offer expertise in diagnostics infrastructure, systems optimisation, process harmonisation, skills transfer, capacity building and workforce mobilisation. These are critical to scaling up access to healthcare in Africa and improving patients’ quality of life.

Africa has 54 countries with a population of over 1.5 billion and an average age of 19.3. It carries 25% of the global health burden but only 1% of the global health budget and 3% of the global health workforce. By working with local governments and domestic funding institutions, Roche aims to reset the statistics.

“With this launch, we strengthen our role in delivering innovative diagnostics solutions that improve healthcare outcomes for more patients where it is needed most,” said Jonathan Keytel, Director, Strategy and Innovation, Roche Diagnostics, Africa.

“Nigeria is a critical market, and this investment supports our long-term vision for healthcare in Africa.”

The new legal entity will enhance Roche’s ability to engage directly with customers, improve supply chain efficiency, and strengthen partnerships with healthcare providers. It will also enable stronger collaborations that support Nigeria’s journey to Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Roberto Taboada, Country Manager, Roche Diagnostics, Africa, added, “This is a significant step towards achieving sustainable healthcare transformation in Nigeria. By working closely with local stakeholders, we are creating a more responsive diagnostics ecosystem.”

The new entity will serve as a hub that supports Roche engagements across Anglophone West Africa, ensuring faster access to Roche’s reliable diagnostics solutions.

Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, as one of the first industrial manufacturers of branded medicines, Roche has grown into the world’s largest biotechnology company and the global leader in in-vitro diagnostics. The company pursues scientific excellence to discover and develop medicines and diagnostics for improving and saving the lives of people around the world.

Roche is a pioneer in personalised healthcare and want to further transform healthcare delivery to have an even greater impact. To provide the best care for each person, Roche partners with many stakeholders and combine our strengths in Diagnostics and Pharma with data insights from the clinical practice.

In recognising our endeavour to pursue a long-term perspective in all we do, Roche has been named one of the most sustainable companies in the pharmaceuticals industry by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the thirteenth consecutive year. This distinction also reflects our efforts to improve access to healthcare together with local partners in every country we work.

Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan.