Nigeria’s health sector bleeds: Doctors, nurses fleeing fast

DDM News

The continuous emigration of Nigeria’s healthcare professionals has once again stirred national discourse.

According to Diaspora digital media (DDM), this follows a recent revelation by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.

According to the minister, more than 16,000 Nigerian doctors have exited the country over the last five years.

This wave of migration is largely driven by their search for better opportunities abroad.

This development has intensified concerns about the fragile and overstretched state of the nation’s healthcare system.

Healthcare exodus reaches a critical point

Speaking at the seventh Annual Capacity Building Workshop of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA), Professor Pate addressed the situation candidly.

The workshop, themed “Integrated Healthcare Regulation and Leadership in Building Resilient Health Systems,” was hosted by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

It was attended by healthcare representatives from across the African continent.

Professor Pate confirmed that nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers are increasingly seeking career opportunities outside Nigeria.

He described the trend as alarming and unsustainable for Nigeria’s health development goals.

He identified economic opportunities, improved working conditions, and advanced training abroad as primary motivating factors behind this migration.

Drawing from his own experience, the minister noted that he left Nigeria in 1993 to work in The Gambia.

He observed that the motivations behind medical migration have remained consistent over the decades.

He added that these “push and pull” factors were nothing new.

He acknowledged that unless they are decisively addressed, the outflow will continue.

Efforts to tackle the Japa syndrome

The government, according to the health minister, is not ignoring the crisis.

Pate revealed that the government has increased the training capacity of medical institutions across the country.

“We have doubled the quota for training in medical schools, nursing, pharmacy, and other healthcare professions,” he stated.

He expressed hope that expanding local training opportunities would help reduce the brain drain.

He also suggested that this could eventually encourage some emigrated professionals to return home.

In addition to boosting training, the government is working to address regional imbalances in healthcare staffing.

Currently, more than 40 percent of Nigeria’s doctors are based in Lagos and Abuja.

This leaves many other regions, particularly rural areas, critically underserved.

To address this, the government is rolling out both financial and non-financial incentives.

These are aimed at attracting health workers to underserved regions.

He emphasized that the effort must be holistic, tackling both short-term pressures and long-term structural issues.

Calls for reciprocal support from destination countries

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has also weighed in.

He proposed a “train-for-train” policy to address the imbalance.

Under this concept, countries benefitting from Nigerian medical professionals would help train new ones locally.

Dr. Salako highlighted the substantial financial investment involved in producing a single medical professional.

According to him, it costs Nigeria an estimated $21,000 to train one doctor.

When these professionals migrate, Nigeria not only loses skilled personnel but also suffers significant economic losses.

He lamented the impact this has on healthcare delivery in rural communities.

He called for fairness and international cooperation to mitigate the damages.

African collaboration key to addressing the crisis

AMCOA President, Professor Joel Okullo, emphasized the need for regional collaboration.

He described the AMCOA workshop as more than just a formal meeting.

According to him, it was an opportunity for African nations to collaborate, learn, and strengthen healthcare systems collectively.

He said shared data and regulatory coordination would help address healthcare challenges more effectively.

Professor Okullo added that the increasing membership of AMCOA shows Africa’s commitment to improving healthcare standards.

He called for greater synergy between regulators, governments, and training institutions.

Internal divisions and professional rivalries undermine the sector

Chairman of the MDCN, Professor Afolabi Lesi, called for unity among healthcare workers.

He urged regulators to ensure rigorous standards in medical training and licensing.

However, he admitted that internal conflicts among health professionals were hurting the system.

“There is still too much rivalry and lack of collaboration,” he said.

This disunity, he warned, undermines service delivery and weakens healthcare resilience.

He emphasized the need for better teamwork, mutual respect, and cross-disciplinary training.

Nurses joining the mass departure

As Nigeria grapples with the loss of doctors, the nursing sector is also being drained.

President of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Haruna Mamman, offered startling figures.

He said more than 15,495 Nigerian nurses have left the country as of February 2025.

He described this trend as increasingly alarming and disruptive.

Speaking at NANNM’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, Mamman attributed the exodus to poor welfare and unmet promises.

He noted that a scheme of service approved in 2016 has yet to be officially gazetted.

He said the continued delay demonstrates the government’s lack of seriousness toward health workers.

He also pointed out the non-implementation of various court judgments.

According to him, the government’s failure to decentralize internship opportunities is contributing to dissatisfaction.

Mamman warned that unless systemic reforms are implemented, more nurses will follow the exit path.

Concerns about oversupply without oversight

National Secretary of NANNM, Dr. Thomas Shettima, raised additional concerns.

He criticized the proliferation of nursing schools across the country.

He argued that merely producing more nurses will not solve the underlying problem.

Instead, it may lead to an oversupply of untrained and unemployed graduates.

He warned that this could give rise to unethical practices and quackery.

He called for urgent reforms in nursing education and licensing.

Dr. Shettima stressed the importance of identifying the root causes of migration.

He said solutions must be built around evidence, not speculation.

Health workers share lived realities

Frontline healthcare professionals are sharing their own experiences and frustrations.

A government hospital nurse in Lagos, Nnenne Adimora, highlighted outdated policies.

She said some allowances have remained unchanged for over three decades.

She noted that attempts to protest or demand reforms are often ignored.

She argued that improving the welfare of nurses is non-negotiable.

According to Adimora, expanding the number of nursing schools will not stop migration.

She stressed the need to align training with improved working conditions.

Another nurse, Motunrayo Adelaja, shared similar concerns.

Working in a private clinic, she blamed long-standing neglect for the mass departure.

She called on NANNM and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to enforce stricter oversight.

She emphasized that training institutions must meet national and international standards.

Push factors driving the exodus

A medical doctor at Nova’s Place Hospital in Lagos, Dr. Uche Okenyi, offered a structured analysis.

He categorized the causes of migration into three areas: economic, professional, and environmental.

Economically, he said, salaries and benefits are too low to maintain a dignified life.

Professionally, he cited poor infrastructure, lack of equipment, and absence of career development opportunities.

He lamented the lack of incentives for research and further training.

He described the environment for healthcare delivery as “frustrating and discouraging.”

He also highlighted environmental challenges, such as power outages, insecurity, and poor transportation.

These, he said, further discourage young professionals from staying.

He added that the rise in medical tourism is a symptom of deep-rooted issues.

Impact on national health outcomes

Experts warn that the continued departure of skilled professionals poses a serious threat.

Nigeria’s already overstretched health system may soon collapse under the weight of shortages.

Dr. Okenyi cautioned that even primary care delivery could fail.

He warned that maternal and infant mortality may rise drastically.

He said preventable diseases could once again become national health emergencies.

According to him, without enough skilled workers, lives will be lost to common ailments.

He also warned that Nigeria may spend more on sending patients abroad for treatment.

This, he said, would increase national health spending and widen inequality.

The path forward: Reform or ruin

Healthcare professionals and stakeholders are calling for urgent and meaningful reform.

They say piecemeal interventions will not work.

They demand a holistic approach that includes better funding, improved facilities, and professional development.

The government is being urged to upgrade hospitals, review salary structures, and resolve longstanding policy bottlenecks.

Experts suggest creating a national health workforce plan.

Such a plan would help forecast future needs and address imbalances.

Without bold leadership, the country risks a full-blown healthcare collapse.

The brain drain could reverse years of progress in public health.

The challenge now is to turn concern into action.

Only then can Nigeria stem the tide and begin to rebuild its health sector.

The clock is ticking.

Each departure leaves a gap.

Each gap leaves a life at risk.

The nation cannot afford to wait any longer.

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