Nigeria spends more than $21,000 to train a single medical doctor, according to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate. The Minister made this disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday at the seventh annual capacity-building workshop organised by the Association of Medical Councils of Africa, themed “Integrated healthcare regulation and leadership in building resilient health systems.”
Highlighting the growing challenges in the nation’s health sector, Prof Pate revealed that over the past five to seven years, more than 16,000 Nigerian doctors have left the country. He added that nurses and midwives are also emigrating in significant numbers.
Describing the mass exodus of healthcare professionals as deeply concerning, he warned that it has resulted in an unacceptably low doctor-to-population ratio of 3.9 per 10,000 people—well below the global benchmark. “The country loses millions of dollars in human capital investment when professionals migrate without structured reintegration or ethical recruitment frameworks,” he said.
In response to this alarming trend, Prof Pate announced the launch of the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration. This initiative, under the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), aims to tackle the brain drain crisis without infringing on the rights of healthcare workers.
He clarified that the policy is not intended to restrict migration but to uphold the dignity of health professionals, the profession itself, and the nation. The key aims of the policy include retaining and motivating the current workforce, promoting ethical recruitment through bilateral agreements, and expanding training capacities to meet both local and international demands.
Prof Pate reported that over 60,000 frontline healthcare workers have already undergone retraining within the past year, with a goal of reaching 120,000. He also noted a significant increase in medical and allied health training quotas. The policy seeks to address uneven workforce distribution, especially given that over 40% of doctors are based in Lagos and Abuja. “We cannot force relocation, but we can incentivise it with housing, digital connectivity, and workplace dignity,” he said.
He further underscored the need to tap into the expertise of the Nigerian diaspora. He pointed to the growing number of returning professionals—doctors, oncologists, and surgeons—who are now establishing cutting-edge medical centres in cities such as Lagos and Maiduguri.
Referencing the ongoing conference of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA) in Lagos, the Minister described it as a testament to the renewed commitment of the diaspora to revitalise the Nigerian health sector. He also acknowledged the efforts of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) in monitoring recruitment practices, supporting returning professionals, and harmonising health regulations across Africa.
“We are not trying to stop migration. We are building a system where our professionals no longer feel the need to leave or settle for less elsewhere,” Prof Pate stated. He called on African governments to establish a continental compact on workforce mobility, rooted in shared standards, ethical recruitment, strategic training investment, and unified negotiation with destination countries.
Reflecting on the wider consequences of brain drain, the Minister warned that while the migration of healthcare professionals is not new, its current scale threatens the integrity of both national and continental health systems. “We are confronted with a paradox. It represents a fiscal loss, a systemic weakening, and a moral imperative. This is our moment, not for nostalgia, but for bold reform. From brain drain to brain gain, from loss to system strengthening, Africa must lead,” he declared.
The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Dr. Tanko Sununu, also addressed participants. He urged the development of sustainable, self-reliant models that are capable of functioning independently, even as they remain open to collaboration. He reiterated that essential services cannot be expected to operate without resources and stressed the importance of building resilient systems free from excessive external dependence.