Jan. 26, 2022

The Lagos State Government has reduced the cost of COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at its accredited private laboratories from N50,400 to N45,250 per test.

Prof. Akin Abayomi, Commissioner for Health in the state announced the reduction in a statement on Wednesday

The commissioner noted that the price regime would take effect from Jan. 28 but that the reduction in cost was to minimise the expenses incurred by citizens “who require the PCR tests for travel, work, or other purposes other than COVID-19 symptoms or contact tracing.

“You will recall that the N50,400 initial PCR test fee charged at the private laboratories was a fixed amount approved by the Governor during the expansion of our testing to include the private laboratories consortium in the first wave.

“This strategy was to expand testing outlets available to the public, but more importantly to ensure price control standardisation and avoid exploitation of the public, as there were huge cost variations in PCR testing in the private sector ranging from N70,000 to as high as N300,000 per PCR test.

“Mr. Governor has approved the reduction in cost of the PCR test, bringing us to the new cost of N45,250 per PCR test.

“What this implies is that the Lagos State Government will enforce the new cost of PCR tests conducted at the private laboratories’ consortium,” he said.

He said further reviews would be made in due course, especially as the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination campaign gained momentum.

Abayomi advised citizens, especially inbound passengers who required a test on arrival, to reciprocate the gesture by booking, paying and present themselves at any of the accredited laboratories at approved days for their PCR tests on arrival in Lagos.

Abayomi, however, noted that PCR tests at approved public health laboratories and sample collection centres in the state remained free for citizens.