The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, has disclosed that Nigeria loses around $2 billion each year due to medical tourism. He stressed the pressing need for the nation to achieve health sovereignty and lessen its dependence on overseas medical services.
Speaking through the Chief Medical Director of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Professor Wasiu Adeyemo, Pate made this known at the inauguration of Avon Medical Centre, a new 50-bed specialty hospital located in Surulere, Lagos.
He linked the significant financial outflow to widespread distrust in the local healthcare system and inadequate access to quality medical care. Nevertheless, Pate expressed hope that facilities like Avon Medical Centre could play a pivotal role in reversing this trend.
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He further highlighted the government’s dedication to transforming the health sector through key programs such as the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the 2024–2027 Health Sector Strategic Blueprint.
This is not just about stopping medical tourism. It is about building health sovereignty—the ability of a country to care for its people, and to develop its institutions, talent, and innovation, Pate stated.
The government is ready to co-create pathways for private-sector engagement, whether through health insurance expansion, regulatory reform, or partnerships with national health programmes. We welcome Avon Medical and all new private providers as partners in building a healthier, safer, and more equitable Nigeria.
Also speaking at the event, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu emphasized the need for stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors, noting that the government cannot tackle the challenges of healthcare delivery on its own.
We must create an enabling environment for private equity and investment to thrive,” he said. “Avon Medical has etched its name in the sands of time in this industry—not only in Lagos but across Nigeria.
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In her address, Awele Elumelu, Chairperson of Avon Healthcare Limited, pointed out the strain on Nigeria’s healthcare system, citing a shortage of doctors, hospital beds, and critical medical equipment as key contributing factors.
In 2009, we took the bold step to make world-class healthcare accessible and affordable for all, not just the privileged few. That decision birthed Avon Medical and Avon HMO,” she said. “Africa carries over 20 percent of the global disease burden, yet has only one percent of healthcare resources.
What we are building is a healthcare system that leaves no one behind. We believe in Afri-capitalism—the idea that the private sector has a responsibility not just to generate profit but to create lasting impact.
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