Posted on: Tue 25-03-2025

As Nigeria grapples with a severe shortage of healthcare professionals, can a structured and ethical migration policy with the United Kingdom help mitigate the crisis while ensuring mutual benefits for both countries?

This was the key focus of Dr. Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Health & Social Welfare, in his keynote address at the UK-Africa Health Summit organized by the Global Health Partnership at the Royal College of Physicians, London.

How Critical Is Nigeria’s Healthcare Workforce Crisis?

Dr. Salako highlighted the growing exodus of Nigerian healthcare professionals, particularly doctors, nurses, and midwives, to countries like the UK, USA, and Canada. But how severe is the situation?

According to him:

• Between 2020 and 2022, there was a 145% increase in doctors, 70% increase in nurses and midwives, and a 900% increase in laboratory scientists requesting letters of good standing to facilitate migration.
• 68% of Nigerian doctors and 52% of nurses and midwives who migrated chose the UK as their destination.

With Nigeria being the highest healthcare workforce-exporting country in Africa, how will this ongoing migration affect the country’s healthcare system and national development?

Can a Migration Policy Balance Ethics and National Interests?

Recognizing the challenges posed by this migration trend, Nigeria has developed a National Policy on Health Workforce Migration aimed at fostering structured engagements with countries like the UK.

The government’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative seeks to address this crisis, but can a formalized migration policy truly balance the need for skilled professionals abroad while preventing a total collapse of Nigeria’s health system?

What’s at Stake for Nigeria’s Universal Health Coverage?

Dr. Salako stressed that the government’s primary objective is to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and that any migration policy must align with this goal. But will Nigeria’s efforts to retain healthcare workers be enough, or will the country continue to struggle with brain drain?

As discussions continue, will the UK collaborate in establishing an ethical and mutually beneficial workforce migration framework? Or will the increasing outflow of Nigerian health professionals further weaken the country’s already overstretched health sector?

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