TB Test for UK Visa in Nigeria: IOM Lagos, Abuja, and What to Expect

Nigeria sits on the UK Home Office's list of countries where tuberculosis rates are high enough to require mandatory TB screening before issuing immigration entry clearance for stays exceeding six months. The UK Skilled Worker visa, which is typically granted for 3 years or more, requires this test. There is no exemption, and UKVI will not issue the visa without a valid TB certificate from an approved clinic.

This is not a complex medical test, and for most applicants the result is straightforward. But the process has specific timing requirements that can derail your application if you plan it badly — particularly if your chest X-ray requires a follow-up sputum test.

Approved Clinics in Nigeria

The Home Office maintains a list of approved TB testing clinics worldwide. In Nigeria, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) runs the primary network, with three clinic locations:

IOM Lagos — Ikeja Two clinics on Isaac John Street and Joel Ogunnaike Street in GRA Ikeja. This is the busiest location due to Lagos's population density and the concentration of UK visa applicants in the city.

IOM Abuja — Asokoro Located on Hassan Musa Katsina Road in the Asokoro district. Serves applicants from Abuja and the broader North-Central and northeastern states.

IOM Benin City The Benin City clinic is often overlooked but is consistently reported to have shorter appointment wait times than Lagos or Abuja, particularly during peak season. For applicants in Edo, Delta, Anambra, or neighboring South-South states, this is the most practical option and the one least likely to require a 10-day wait during July–September.

Private alternatives exist. Q-Life Family Clinic on Ade Odedina Street, Victoria Island (Lagos) and St. Nicholas Hospital on Campbell Street (Lagos Island) are Home Office-approved and offer shorter wait times — but at higher cost. IOM fees are standardized; private clinic fees are higher.

Fees in 2026

IOM fees are collected in USD at the point of service. At current exchange rates, the adult fee is approximately ₦175,000–₦185,000. Payment is made at the clinic — not booked online and paid in advance, though the appointment itself must be scheduled.

Private clinics charge in naira. If USD payment is a logistical challenge, the private clinics eliminate the currency conversion step, though the higher naira cost may offset that convenience.

What the Test Involves

The primary test is a chest X-ray. This takes a few minutes at the clinic. For the vast majority of applicants, the X-ray is clear and the certificate is issued the same day or within 48 hours.

If the X-ray shows any abnormality — consolidation, infiltrates, or other findings that could be consistent with active TB — the clinic moves to a sputum test. This involves collecting sputum samples over three consecutive days. The samples are then sent to a laboratory for culture and sensitivity testing, which takes up to eight weeks.

This is the timing risk that matters. If you test three months before your planned departure and the X-ray is clear, you are fine. If you test two weeks before your CoS expiry and the X-ray is unclear, the sputum culture alone will take longer than your remaining window.

The certificate is valid for six months from the date of the X-ray. It must be valid at the time you submit your visa application — not at the time your visa is granted.

Timing the Test Against Your Application

The smartest approach is to book the TB test as soon as you have a serious job prospect, even before a formal CoS is issued. The test does not require a CoS number to initiate. The six-month validity window gives you ample time — if you test in month one of job searching, the certificate is valid through month seven, which covers most realistic CoS-to-submission timelines.

Applicants with a history of lung conditions, past TB treatment, or regular exposure to high-density environments (hospital wards, certain factory settings, crowded urban housing) should test at the very beginning of the process — at least three months before their planned submission date — to allow for sputum culture results if needed, without those results pushing past the CoS expiry.

The June to September period is peak season for UK visa applications in Nigeria, driven by the student visa cycle. IOM Lagos appointment wait times during this window can extend to 10 days or more. If your timeline falls in this window, book ahead of when you think you need to. Missing a slot and rebooking for 10 days later can eat significantly into a CoS clock that started three months earlier.

Appointment Availability and Booking

Book directly through the IOM Nigeria health assessment portal or by calling the clinic locations:

• IOM Lagos (Ikeja): +234 (0) 90 9215 6079
• IOM Abuja (Asokoro): +234 (0) 80 8522 1427

During non-peak periods (October through May), same-week appointments are typically available in Abuja and Benin City. Lagos is more constrained year-round.

When you call, confirm that the centre has your specific age group's testing protocol available on that date, especially for child applicants, and ask about the typical turnaround for clear X-ray results.

What the Certificate Looks Like

The IOM issues a physical certificate that is stamped and signed. From 2026, digital certificates are being phased in at some IOM locations, but physical certificates are still the standard format. The certificate must be submitted with your visa application — it is not uploaded at the VFS centre but should be included with your supporting documents at the point of online application or scanned at VFS if uploading was not completed in advance.

The certificate references the clinic's Home Office approval number, confirming to UKVI that the test was conducted at an approved location. Do not obtain a TB clearance from any clinic not on the Home Office's approved list — a non-approved certificate is treated as no certificate, and the application will be refused.

The Nigeria → UK Skilled Worker Guide covers the TB test scheduling in the context of the full document timeline, including how to book and run it in parallel with the POSSAP police certificate and Ecctis or IELTS preparation so that you reach your VFS appointment date with all four major documents ready at the same time.

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