Chancellor of the Ekiti State University, Dr Tunji Olowolafe, has said Nigeria and Africa cannot reverse medical tourism without deliberate investments in knowledge production, research, and medical education to strengthen local capacity.

Delivering the keynote address at the Nigerian Medical Association’s Healthcare and Medical Expo 2.0 in Abuja, themed “Reversing Medical Tourism: Africans Investing in Africa,” Mr Olowolafe emphasised education-driven healthcare transformation.

He said investment in faculty development and modern training would enable doctors to compete globally while remaining locally relevant, adding that Nigeria’s medical education already commands respect across international healthcare systems.

Mr Olowolafe noted that although brain drain weakened local healthcare, it also validated the quality of Nigerian medical training, urging increased investment in education to retain and multiply skilled professionals.

He stressed that Africa must evolve from being a market for foreign medical solutions to a producer of innovative breakthroughs, through collaboration among universities, associations, and private sector investors.

“Collaborations will help build pipelines of talent, research, and innovation, keeping our brightest minds intellectually and emotionally committed to Africa’s healthcare future,” Mr Olowolafe stated, urging sustained institutional partnerships.

He called on donors to strengthen, not overshadow, local systems, advocating that resources funded training for local surgeons rather than overseas charity missions, to ensure self-sustaining medical excellence.

Mr Olowolafe added that reversing medical tourism was not solely a government task but a shared moral responsibility among practitioners, policymakers, investors, and civil society to safeguard Africa’s healthcare sovereignty.

Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Salako, said more than 30 per cent of Nigeria’s annual budget equivalent was lost to medical tourism, calling it a severe economic and forex drain.

Mr Salako commended the NMA for leading the conversation, noting that the Tinubu administration was implementing strategies to promote local medical services and attract inbound medical travel to Nigeria.

He identified oncology, orthopaedics, nephrology, and cardiology as key drivers of medical tourism, revealing that 40 per cent of Nigerians travelling abroad did so for cancer-related treatments.

According to Mr Salako, government has established the National Tertiary Health Institution Standards Committee to rate hospitals by care quality, helping citizens make informed decisions and improving healthcare standards.

President of the NMA, Prof. Bala Audu, described the expo as a statement of purpose, reflecting Africa’s determination to reclaim ownership of its health systems and medical advancement.

Mr Audu said Africa lost between five and seven billion dollars annually to medical tourism, draining economies and weakening public trust in domestic healthcare infrastructure and capabilities.

He added that Nigerian-trained doctors thriving abroad proved local expertise existed, but inadequate awareness and confidence drove patients to seek treatment overseas instead of within Nigeria.

Mr Audu explained, initiated the expo to promote awareness, attract foreign patients, and position Nigeria as a hub for advanced and affordable medical services across the continent.

“To achieve this vision, we must invest in health financing, policies, and enabling environments that make Nigeria’s healthcare globally competitive,” Audu emphasised during the closing session.

The expo gathers innovators, clinicians, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors to showcase African medical technology, strengthen partnerships, and inspire lasting healthcare reforms.

 (NAN)