Over 16,000 Nigerian doctors emigrated in six years, NMA demands healthcare reforms

By Adeola Badru The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Oyo State chapter, has raised concerns over the declining state of the country’s healthcare system, warning that urgent reforms in healthcare leadership, funding and workforce retention are needed to prevent a deeper crisis. The association made the call on Wednesday during its 2026 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference held in Ibadan, with the theme: “Redefining Healthcare Leadership in Nigeria: Innovation, Accountability and Sustainable Development.” Delivering the keynote address, the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr Titilola Ibiyemi, said Nigeria could no longer afford a “business-as-usual” approach to healthcare management, stressing the need for transformational leadership to restore public confidence and improve service delivery. Ibiyemi said healthcare leadership must move beyond routine administration by embracing innovation, accountability, strategic planning and collaboration to build a resilient and sustainable health system.

She identified brain drain, inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, weak accountability structures and overdependence on donor support as major challenges hindering the country’s ability to provide quality healthcare. The medical director disclosed that more than 16,000 Nigerian doctors left the country between 2017 and 2023, describing the development as a major threat to the nation’s healthcare workforce. She also revealed that although primary healthcare centres account for about 75 per cent of Nigeria’s health facilities, only about 20 per cent of the country’s nearly 30,000 primary healthcare centres are fully functional.

Ibiyemi further lamented that Nigeria currently allocates about 3.86 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to healthcare, far below the 15 per cent benchmark agreed under the Abuja Declaration. She added that about 76 per cent of healthcare expenditure in the country is still funded directly by citizens through out-of-pocket payments. “Leadership in healthcare must be intentional, innovative and accountable.

Leaders must inspire change, strengthen institutions, embrace technology and ensure efficient management of available resources to improve patient outcomes,” she said. Oyewusi Gureje, noted that doctors occupy strategic leadership positions within Niger…