Chancellor of Ekiti State University Tunji Olowolafe has presented a blueprint to transform Nigeria’s healthcare sector and reduce medical tourism.
Speaking at the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) conference themed Reversing Medical Tourism, Africans Investing in Africa held in Abuja, Dr. Olowolafe said stakeholders must move from “lamentation” to investment and innovation.
He said, “The time has come to make medical tourism irrelevant by establishing Nigeria as the destination for world-class medical care.”
Olowolafe, a medical doctor and investor, said Africa loses about $7 billion annually to medical tourism, with Nigeria accounting for about $2 billion.
He identified four key strategies for change: action-driven leadership, investment in enterprise, technological advancement, and rebuilding public trust.
According to him, the NMA must lead the effort by acting as “the convenor of data, dialogue, and delivery,” engaging government, the private sector, and international partners to drive evidence-based policy.
“To fulfill this role, the NMA secretariat must be adequately resourced with financial capital and human capital,” he said.
Olowolafe commended ongoing government efforts, including the National Health Insurance Authority Act of 2022, removal of tariffs on medical machinery and the plan to train 120,000 health workers under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He also highlighted the creation of a transparent foreign exchange regime, which he said encourages international investment in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
“Nigeria is bankable,” Olowolafe said, calling on private investors to take part in large-scale medical enterprises.
He cited examples of hospitals like Bridge Clinic, Nordica Fertility Center, Cedar Crest Hospital, and NAM Hospital that already attract patients from within and outside Africa.
He added that confirmed foreign direct investment of $30 billion expected in the oil and gas sector by 2030 would open opportunities for establishing hospitals and trauma centers in cities such as Warri and Port Harcourt.
Olowolafe urged doctors to acquire training in “feasibilities, economic analysis, and financial management” to complement their medical expertise.
He described technology as “the great equalizer” that could enable Nigeria to overcome infrastructural gaps.
He called for investment in digital health, Artificial Intelligence in diagnostics and blockchain-secured medical records to enhance transparency and attract investors.
He said the “brain drain” of medical professionals shows that Nigeria’s education system produces competent practitioners, urging more investment in research and medical education.
On rebuilding trust, Olowolafe said, “Instead of flying patients abroad for charity surgeries, we can fund our local surgeons. Instead of importing equipment, we can also invest in our biomedical engineers locally.”
He urged medical professionals to avoid strikes, saying each day of industrial action delays care and damages patient trust.
Tunji Olowolafe concluded that if Africans invest in Africa and the plan is implemented, medical tourism would not only be reversed but become irrelevant.
