Nigeria is facing a worsening healthcare workforce crisis as the mass migration of medical professionals continues to strain the country’s already fragile health system, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has said.
Salako raised the concern on Monday while delivering a keynote address at the 2026 United Kingdom Global Health Summit held at the Royal College of Physicians in London.
He noted that the ongoing exodus of Nigerian health workers—popularly referred to as “japa”—has significantly worsened manpower shortages, placing immense pressure on healthcare delivery nationwide.
According to the minister, Nigeria currently has about four doctors per 10,000 people, far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended minimum of 10 per 10,000 population.
“The global health workforce crisis is not a future threat but a present emergency. Africa carries more than a quarter of the global disease burden but has less than three per cent of the global health workforce,” he said.
Salako added that the situation is particularly severe in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, where shortages of doctors, nurses, midwives, and other health professionals have reached critical levels.
Citing data from the United Kingdom, he revealed that 13,609 Nigerian health workers migrated to the UK between 2021 and 2022, making Nigeria one of the leading sources of foreign-trained medical personnel.
He also referenced a 2023 survey by NOI Polls and Nigeria Health Watch, which found that 57 per cent of Nigerian doctors had taken concrete steps to relocate abroad in search of better opportunities.
The minister stressed that the migration trend represents a significant loss of public investment.
“Every doctor who leaves Nigeria represents a substantial flight of invested public resources, often exceeding $200,000 in training costs. This effectively transfers resources from one of the world’s most resource-constrained health systems to wealthier nations,” he said.
Salako described the trend as a matter of global equity that requires urgent international cooperation.
Nigeria’s health sector has long been challenged by inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, and heavy reliance on out-of-pocket payments. With a population exceeding 220 million, the country continues to grapple with limited access to quality healthcare, especially in rural areas.
Experts have repeatedly warned that continued migration of healthcare professionals could further weaken service delivery in public hospitals.
To address the crisis, the minister said the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu has introduced reforms through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, aimed at improving coordination, funding, and accountability.
He explained that the initiative is anchored on the principles of “One Plan, One Budget, and One Conversation.”
Salako also highlighted broader global challenges affecting healthcare systems, including economic instability, climate change, and geopolitical tensions. He noted that slower global economic growth could further limit government spending on healthcare.
On climate-related health risks, he cited findings from the 2025 Lancet Countdown, which showed a 23 per cent increase in heat-related mortality since 1999, alongside rising food insecurity due to extreme weather conditions.
In Nigeria, environmental challenges such as desertification in the North, flooding in the South, and pollution in oil-producing regions are increasingly contributing to disease outbreaks and displacement.
To tackle workforce shortages, Salako said the government has expanded training capacity across medical and health institutions.
According to him, Nigeria recorded a 160 per cent increase in medical school admissions between 2023 and 2025, alongside expanded training for nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists.
He added that authorities are also strengthening community health worker programmes and implementing task-shifting policies to improve healthcare delivery in underserved areas.
“We recognise that a resilient health system must rest on a broad and diverse workforce,” he said.
The minister further disclosed plans to engage Nigerian health professionals in the diaspora to support the domestic health system.
He said seven Nigerian healthcare diaspora associations across the UK, United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, and South Africa will carry out a coordinated medical mission in Nigeria between April and July this year, focusing on knowledge transfer and capacity building.
Nigeria’s diaspora health professionals are estimated at over 150,000 globally, many occupying senior roles in hospitals and research institutions.
Salako described them as a “strategic asset” capable of helping bridge the country’s healthcare gaps.
He called for stronger international collaboration, including ethical recruitment practices and support for countries that train health workers who later migrate abroad.
The minister also urged developed nations to fully implement the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel and promote bilateral agreements that allow skills transfer back to source countries.
“No nation can solve the global health workforce crisis alone. The next pandemic will not respect borders. Strengthening health systems in developing countries is not charity—it is global security,” he said.
