BACKGROUND: Caesarean section (CS) is one of the most common operations performed on women worldwide. Surgical site infection (SSI) following caesarean section increases maternal morbidity and medical cost. The effect of this morbidity may be felt even in subsequent pregnancies. The risk of postpartum infection is higher with caesarean delivery compared with vaginal births. Several risk factors have been documented in the literature. Staphylococcus aureus is the commonest organism isolated. Antibiotic prophylaxis has been found to be the most significant protective factor in reducing both the rate of post-caesarean section wound infection and costs. Debate is on-going on the efficacy of wound swab culture technique when compared with wound biopsy culture technique which is regarded as the gold standard technique in the diagnosis of wound infection. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence, risk factors, pattern of pathogenic organism and their antibiotic sensitivity for post-caesarean SSI. To also determine the efficacy of wound swab culture technique in the diagnosis of post caesarean wound infection using wound biopsy culture technique as the gold standard. STUDY DESIGN/ SETTING: A prospective case-controlled study of women delivered by caesarean section at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. METHODS: 13 Women who had emergency CS (cases) were matched with those who had elective CS (controls) from 1st January 2012 to 31st August 2012. Two hundred and twenty five women (225) in each arm of the study who met the inclusion criteria were recruited over a period of eight months, using purposive non-probability sampling method. All patients had transverse lower segment caesarean section and antibiotic prophylaxis was given with intravenous Ceftriaxone 1.0 gm after the clamping of umbilical cord. Patients were followed up after surgery. Wound biopsy and wound swab specimens were used to confirm the diagnosis of wound infection in each patient with clinical symptoms and signs of wound infection. Outcome was recorded and data was analyzed with the statistic package for social sciences (SPSS 20) software package (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL).