Posted on: Thu 18-06-2026

Nigeria is buzzing again, and this time the gist is not about politics, celebrities, or fuel price wahala. It is the shocking revelation that only about 55,000 doctors are left to care for more than 220 million Nigerians. Yes, you read that right. While other countries are adding doctors, Nigeria is losing them like a leaking bucket, thanks to the unstoppable Japa wave.

Medical experts raised the alarm during the Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Resident Doctors in Yaba, Lagos. The theme of the event alone tells the whole story: Too Few Doctors, Too Many Patients. And honestly, it is giving real life Nollywood tragedy vibes.

According to the Nigerian Medical Association, over 130,000 doctors have been registered in Nigeria over the years, but only about 55,000 are still practicing in the country. The rest? They have packed their bags and relocated to the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and anywhere else that offers better pay, better equipment, and better respect.

To make matters worse, more than 16,000 doctors have left Nigeria in the last five years alone. That is not just a brain drain; that is a brain evacuation. And the result is a healthcare system that is stretched so thin, it is practically transparent. Doctors who remain in the country are overworked, burnt out, and drowning in endless patient queues. Some hospitals reportedly have one doctor attending to thousands of patients.

Experts warn that the situation is especially dangerous for mental health care. With the shortage of psychiatrists and mental health specialists, millions of Nigerians who need help are simply not getting it. In fact, about 85 percent of Nigerians with mental disorders have no access to treatment at all.

The World Health Organisation recommends one doctor for every 600 people. Nigeria currently has one doctor for every 3,600 to 4,000 people. That ratio is not just bad; it is catastrophic.

Why are doctors leaving? The reasons are not surprising: poor salaries, terrible working conditions, insecurity, lack of equipment, limited career growth, and hospitals that sometimes do not even have basic supplies. Many doctors say they are tired of working miracles with empty hands.

Meanwhile, rural communities are suffering the most. Many villages barely have one doctor, and some have none at all. Patients travel long distances for basic care, only to meet overcrowded hospitals and exhausted medical staff.

As the Japa trend continues, Nigerians are left asking the big question: What happens when the remaining doctors finally give up and leave too? Will the country be left with hospitals but no healers?

For now, the drama continues, and the nation is watching closely as the healthcare system struggles to survive one doctor at a time.

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