Onco-Genomics Begins First NGS Paternity Testing Laboratory in Nigeria

Esther Oluku 

In its quest to reduce the turn around time of high technology driven paternity testing and curb capital flight, Nigerian genetic testing and pathology outfit, Onco-Genomics Test Center, has commenced the first in-country Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology paternity testing laboratory.

The NGS testing technology is an improvement on the traditional paternity tests, Capillary Electrophoresis (CE), which analyse Short Tandem Repeat (STR) markers. Hence, a growing consensus in the scientific community points to the limitations of this conventional method and the advantages of adopting Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) for more accurate and reliable results.

Next-Generation Sequencing, a cutting-edge technology, is rapidly transforming the landscape of genetic testing. Unlike CE, which analyzes a maximum of 23 markers, NGS examines thousands of genetic markers simultaneously. By leveraging this advanced capability, NGS ensures unparalleled accuracy and precision in determining biological relationships.

Chief Executive Officer, Onco-Genomics Test Center, Dr. Paul Faduola, explained that the adoption of this new technology will pave the way for in-country data capturing, strengthen data accuracy, improve In-country human capacity, foster trust within families and expand service offerings to more Nigerians at reduced cost.

He pointed also that prior to this time, many laboratories who collect samples for paternity tests either utilise the CE technology or send samples abroad which requires citizens to procure scarce foreign exchange and spend longer waiting periods to get their results.

“NGS eliminates the chances of errors. It reads the entire genetic sequence, leaving no room for ambiguity. If a marker is not present, the system simply will not generate a result. It is also cost efficient in that the cost of running a single NGS test can be spread across multiple samples, significantly reducing the overall expense. This scalability makes NGS more accessible, especially as its adoption grows in laboratories worldwide.”

Advancement in technology which is also reflected in pricing, he explained, presents a challenge in the paternity testing market as members of the public because of scarce resources and lack of information about the variety of technological advancement, opt for a cheaper solution which may ultimately impact test outcomes.

“If paternity tests were more affordable, millions would opt to resolve their doubts. However, the cost of NGS, though competitive compared to international standards, still remains out of reach for many. 

“This pricing reflects the advanced nature of the technology and its operational costs. Experts believe that as demand grows and technology becomes more localized, prices will likely decrease.”

With projected demand for paternity tests increasing in the coming years, Faduola opined that the need to increase public education on the types of testing technology being provided by a laboratory as well as enforcement of stricter regulation to guard against the emotional trauma and psychology impact presentation of wrong paternity results by unaccredited laboratories may have on families.

“The community needs to understand what technology is being used for their test is crucial and establishment of clear guidelines and regulations are important to ensure accuracy and transparency.”

On his part, Sales Specialist at ISN Medicals, Awojobi Olakunle, noted that as one of the leading suppliers of medical equipments in the country, Onco-Genomics is the first facility with which ISN has partnered to deliver the NGS technology in Nigeria.

Olakunle, who acknowledged the high financial cost of the technology and the demand nationwide, urged medical practitioners to partner with Onco-Genomics to gather more samples for testing which would further drive down the cost of paternity tests in-country while bringing clarity and peace of mind to countless families.