The Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning Nigeria as a global hub for healthcare excellence and medical tourism. Speaking through Dr Dele Anisere, registrar of the Dental Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria, at the ongoing Afrihealth Conference and Exhibitions in Lagos, the Minister declared that Nigeria has all it takes to emerge as a premier destination for affordable, world-class healthcare.
The three-day event, holding at the Welcome Centre Hotel, Lagos, from 18 to 20 June, is organised by the Afrihealth Development Foundation in collaboration with major industry stakeholders including the Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN), the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and the Association of Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (ANPMP).
Describing the conference as a “launching pad to a strengthened health system,” Dr Salako lauded its theme, “Repositioning Nigeria as a Healthcare Excellence Hub and Destination for Medical Tourism”, calling it a “bold call to action and a roadmap for innovation.”
He emphasised that while Nigeria loses over $1 billion annually to outbound medical tourism, the country possesses a unique blend of human capital, strategic location, cost competitiveness, and emerging infrastructure that could reverse this trend.
“Our sons and daughters in the field of health have excelled globally. Nigeria has the population, exceptional talent, and natural resources to lead in healthcare,” he said.
The Minister outlined a four-point government agenda aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, focused on improving health governance, population health outcomes, unlocking the health value chain through medical industrialization, and enhancing health security.
To achieve this, he identified critical health system pillars including the strengthening of infrastructure and facilities, expanding human resources for health, prioritising quality service delivery, ensuring sustainable healthcare financing, and promoting training, research, and data-driven planning.
Dr Salako highlighted several existing assets already pushing Nigeria towards its goal. These include a steady output of globally competitive medical professionals, growing regional air connectivity, cost-effective quality care compared to countries like India and Thailand, and high-end private facilities like Lagoon, Reddington, Evercare, and the upcoming African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja.
He called for unified efforts across sectors to realize the vision, urging the government to develop enabling policies and increase healthcare investment, the private sector to invest in infrastructure and innovation, healthcare professionals to maintain excellence and mentorship, the diaspora to return, invest, and share expertise, and civil society to advocate for accountability and patient-centered care.
Salako concluded with a rallying call for stakeholders to transform the dream of medical tourism into a shared national reality: “Let this conference not just be an event, but a turning point. Together, we can forge a healthcare system where Nigeria is not only self-reliant, but globally admired.”
The Afrihealth conference continues until June 20, bringing together health professionals, policymakers, and investors to reimagine the future of healthcare in Nigeria and beyond.
