Former Nigerian Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar has been featured in promotional material by an Indian hospital following his knee replacement surgery there.
The video, which has gone viral on social media, shows Mr Abubakar receiving care at Krishna Shalby Hospital in Ahmedabad, India, including footage of him walking and exercising after the procedure.
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The hospital has also used images of the former Head of State and Vice President Kashim Shettima in posts promoting its services to international patients.
Hospital’s promotion
In an Instagram post on Monday, the Indian Hospital said Mr Shettima visited the facility and met its management to discuss Mr Abubakar’s progress and wellbeing.
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The hospital described the visit as a reflection of the “growing trust in India’s healthcare” and its commitment to caring for patients from across the world.
“When patients travel across borders for specialised care, their trust means everything,” the hospital said.
It is not immediately clear whether Mr Abubakar’s treatment was fully sponsored by the federal government.
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However, under the Remuneration of Former Presidents and Heads of State (and Other Ancillary Matters) Act, former Heads of State and their immediate families are entitled to free medical treatment in Nigeria and treatment abroad where necessary at federal government expense.
The law also provides other benefits, including diplomatic passports, protocol privileges, official vehicles, office and residential accommodation, security and annual vacation at federal government expense.
In 2026, the federal government budget provides N2.3 billion for the entitlements of former presidents, Heads of State and their deputies.
Nigerians react
The hospital’s use of Mr Abubakar’s treatment in its promotional material has generated reactions from Nigerians.
Activist and presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore was among those who reacted after sharing the promotional video on X on Tuesday.
“This is former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, being used in a hospital advert after undergoing knee replacement surgery in India,” Mr Sowore said.
He questioned why Nigerian leaders who had opportunities while in government to develop the country’s healthcare system continue to seek specialised treatment abroad.
Mr Sowore said the development was a reflection of what he described as “decades of failed leadership and neglect of Nigeria’s healthcare system”.
Aloy Ejimafor, a barrister, also criticised the development in a Facebook post.
Mr Ejimafor described it as a “diplomatic insult” for an Indian hospital to use Mr Abubakar’s image in an advert for knee replacement surgery in India.
Medical tourism
Mr Abubakar’s treatment abroad comes amid a long-running pattern of Nigerian political leaders seeking medical care outside the country.
For instance, late President Muhammadu Buhari faced repeated criticism over his medical trips to the United Kingdom during his presidency.
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Nigerian doctors and other critics argued that the practice undermined confidence in the country’s health system, particularly because political leaders control public investment in healthcare.
In April 2025, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said Nigeria loses an estimated $2 billion annually to medical tourism.
Mr Pate made the statement at the commissioning of a 50-bed specialist hospital in Lagos, where he said the figure reflected gaps in confidence, access and quality in the country’s healthcare system.
“This is not just about stopping medical tourism. It is about building health sovereignty, the ability of a country to care for its own people, develop its institutions, talent, and innovation,” Mr Pate said.
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