LAGOS, NIGERIA — The Lagos University Teaching Hospital has reiterated its call for increased private sector participation in healthcare delivery, stressing that government resources alone cannot meet the growing demand for quality medical services in Nigeria’s most populous state .
Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Professor Wasiu Adeyemo, made the appeal during a recent stakeholders’ engagement, where he highlighted the need for strategic partnerships to sustain specialised healthcare services, particularly in areas such as cancer care, renal services, and laboratory medicine . He noted that even in developed countries, governments cannot adequately fund healthcare without private sector collaboration .
“As an institution, we have seen the impact of private sector support, from the construction of a new multi-million-dollar outpatient complex to the approval of approximately $3.8 million for a two-megawatt solar power project aimed at addressing energy challenges,” Adeyemo stated . He also acknowledged the role of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals in facilitating the installation of 11 elevators and about 300 solar-powered streetlights within the institution .
The LUTH chief medical director pointed to successful public-private partnerships as evidence of the model’s effectiveness. In 2025, the hospital launched a premium healthcare services initiative offering consultant-led care within a public hospital setting, providing patients with expedited access to specialist treatment without the need to travel abroad . The hospital has also partnered with Lagoon Hospital to establish a state-of-the-art cardiac centre, addressing one of the institution’s top infrastructure priorities .
Private sector contributions have been significant. In 2021, Airtel Nigeria commissioned a fully renovated and modernised 111-bed ward at LUTH, valued at over N200 million, and provided critical support during the COVID-19 pandemic . These interventions, according to hospital management, have improved patient care, staff welfare, and retention efforts, including recent salary adjustments that have helped curb the migration of health professionals .
Adeyemo appealed to all well-meaning Nigerians, corporate bodies, and multinational companies to extend their corporate social responsibility to the institution, stressing that such partnerships are essential for sustaining specialised healthcare services and improving medical facilities and staff welfare . “Support from the private sector has been transformative, but there is still much more to be done,” he said. “We cannot do it alone.”
The Federal Government has also endorsed the PPP model as a strategic approach to bridging healthcare gaps. Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire had previously called on the private sector to emulate Airtel’s example by investing in Nigeria’s healthcare sector, noting that such investments would help bridge the existing gap and deepen the quality of healthcare across the country .
As Nigeria continues to grapple with the challenges of underfunding, outdated infrastructure, and a severe shortage of medical professionals, the role of public-private partnerships is increasingly seen as critical to achieving universal health coverage and reducing the estimated $2 billion lost annually to medical tourism . The Private Health Sector Alliance of Nigeria has noted that leveraging private sector capabilities, assets, and expertise is essential to accelerating the improvement of health outcomes for all Nigerians .
For LUTH, the message is clear: government support provides the foundation, but the scale of need demands that the private sector step in as a critical partner. “If five multinationals in Nigeria would do what Airtel has done for us yearly, life would be paradise on earth,” former CMD Professor Chris Bode had remarked . Now, Adeyemo is making the same call—urging more corporate bodies to invest in healthcare infrastructure and help build a system that serves all Nigerians effectively and sustainably .
