Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, has disclosed that the country loses around $2 billion every year to medical tourism. He stressed the urgent need to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system and reduce dependency on foreign medical treatment.
Speaking through the Chief Medical Director of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Professor Wasiu Adeyemo, Pate made the remarks during the commissioning of Avon Medical Centre, a new 50-bed specialty hospital in Surulere, Lagos.
He attributed the huge financial loss to limited access to quality care and low public confidence in the local health system. However, he expressed hope that modern facilities like Avon Medical could help reverse this trend.
“This isn’t just about stopping medical tourism—it’s about building health sovereignty. We must be able to care for our own people, grow our talent, and innovate locally,” Pate said.
He noted that the government is working to transform the health sector through initiatives like the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the 2024–2027 Health Sector Strategic Blueprint.
Pate also highlighted the importance of private-sector involvement, saying, “We are ready to work with partners through expanded health insurance, regulatory reforms, and partnerships with national health programs.”
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who also spoke at the event, emphasized the need for stronger public-private partnerships in healthcare. “The government cannot do it alone. We must create the right environment for private investment,” he said.
Chairperson of Avon Healthcare Limited, Awele Elumelu, pointed out the strain on Nigeria’s health system caused by shortages of doctors, hospital beds, and essential equipment.
“In 2009, we set out to make quality healthcare accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy,” she said. “Africa bears over 20% of the global disease burden but has only 1% of healthcare resources.”
Elumelu emphasized the company’s belief in “Afri-capitalism”—the idea that the private sector should drive both profit and social impact. “We’re building a healthcare system that leaves no one behind,” she added.