Nigeria loses billions as 16,000 doctors exit in seven years

Nigeria has lost over 16,000 doctors in the last five to seven years, a situation that has cost the country billions of naira, according to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the seventh annual capacity-building workshop of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA), Mr Pate, a professor, expressed concern over the rising migration of healthcare workers and its economic impact on the health sector.

He said the estimated cost of training a single doctor in Nigeria exceeds $21,000, highlighting the fiscal damage of losing such a large number of trained professionals to other countries.

“This trend is not just about people leaving,” the minister said. “It represents a fiscal loss. The estimated cost of training one doctor exceeds $21,000—a figure that reflects the magnitude of public financing walking out of our countries.

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“It deeply affects our health systems—leaving many of our rural communities critically underserved.”

Doctor-to-population ratio falls

The minister noted that the doctor-to-population ratio in Nigeria has dropped to 3.9 per 10,000 people, far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended standard.

“In Nigeria alone, over 16,000 doctors are estimated to have left the country in the last five to seven years, with thousands more leaving in just the past few years. Nurses and midwives have also thinned in numbers. The doctor-to-population ratio now stands at around 3.9 per 10,000—well below the suggested global minimum,” he noted.

Mr Pate explained that the exodus is driven by a combination of factors, including better economic prospects, improved working conditions, access to advanced training, and more supportive research environments abroad.

He acknowledged that the migration of health professionals from developing to developed countries is not new, but said it has intensified in recent years, with more healthcare workers aspiring to practice outside Nigeria.

National policy on migration

Despite the challenges, the minister said the situation offers an opportunity to rethink and reshape health workforce management policies.

He referenced the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration as part of the federal government’s broader efforts under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

“This policy is designed to address health workforce migration with dignity—dignity for health workers, for the country, and for the profession,” he said. “It is not a restrictive policy, nor is it one born out of resignation. It is evidence-based and data-driven.”

He explained that the policy aims to retain and motivate health workers still in Nigeria, establish ethical recruitment agreements with destination countries, expand training capacity, reintegrate Nigerian professionals abroad, and strengthen regulatory systems and data management.

Mr Pate acknowledged that the global health workforce shortage is at 18 million, and countries in the Global North face their human resource crises due to demography and other factors.

“But our response is based on stewardship—balancing the rights of health professionals to seek opportunities abroad with our duty to protect the integrity and viability of our national health system,” he said.

Call to action

Mr Pate, who praised President Tinubu’s role as the African Union’s Continental Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery, urged other African countries to join Nigeria in forging a continental response to workforce mobility.

He proposed a new compact based on pan-African training and accreditation standards, shared planning tools, and joint negotiating platforms with countries that recruit African health workers.

Also speaking at the workshop, the President of AMCOA, Joel Okullo, emphasised the need for unity among African nations in regulating healthcare and managing the growing challenge of workforce mobility.

Mr Okullo expressed the belief that the outcome of the workshop would produce actionable strategies to improve healthcare services across Africa.

“This year’s theme highlights our commitment to tackling the diverse array of challenges within the health regulatory landscape,” he said.

“Let us embark on this journey with enthusiasm and a shared sense of purpose. Our collaborative efforts today and over the next few days will lay the groundwork for transformative changes.”

Professional unity, patient focus

The Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Fatima Kyari, welcomed participants and noted that this was Nigeria’s first time hosting the AMCOA workshop.

Ms Kyari lauded the alignment of leadership at various levels to ensure patient safety and stronger regulation.
Chairman of MDCN’s Governing Board and head of the Local Organising Committee, Afolabi Lesi, stressed the need for healthcare regulators to maintain global standards while tailoring practices to suit the local context.

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However, Mr Lesi raised concerns over divisions among health professionals that hinder effective teamwork and patient care.

“The reality is that while we have committed and clear directions at the level of governance, implementation of actions is bedevilled by fractioned and fractious relationships among health workers who ought to be working as a team,” he said.

“The patient’s well-being and safety must be the primary focus of all our actions.”