Nigeria loses $2bn annually to medical tourism – FG

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, has said Nigeria loses about $2 billion yearly to medical tourism, saying the country must build health sovereignty and not rely on foreign care

Pate said the lack of confidence in local healthcare and the citizenry’s inability to access quality health partly contributed to the figure.

Pate, represented by the Chief Medical Director of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Wasiu Adeyemo, stated this during the commissioning of Avon Medical Centre, a 50-bed speciality hospital in Surulere, Lagos.

His words: “This is not just about stopping medical tourism. It is about building health sovereignty, the ability of a country to care for its people, and develop its institutions, talent, and innovation.

“The government stands ready to co-create pathways for private-sector engagement, be it through health insurance expansion, regulatory reform, or partnerships with national health programmes. We welcome Avon Medical and all new private providers to come alongside us as partners in building a healthier, safer, and more equitable Nigeria.”

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