Brain Drain in Nigeria's Health Sector: A Plea for Better Remuneration

Strategic Insights -

The current brain drain in Nigeria's health sector, also known as 'Japa,' would continue unless the welfare of health services professionals are well taken care of by the government, according to Prof. Adewale Musa-Olomu, the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta. The medical director, who is rounding up his eight-year tenure, asserted that increased government investment in the health sector cannot yield results without decent remuneration for health professionals. The brain drain, which has resulted in a severe shortage of doctors in the country, is exemplified by the World Health Organisation's (WHO) 2025 research, which estimated that Nigeria has a doctor-to-patient ratio of approximately 1:9,083.

Key Takeaways:

  • The brain drain in Nigeria's health sector, also known as 'Japa,' would continue until the welfare of health services professionals are well taken care of by the government, as stated by Prof. Adewale Musa-Olomu.
  • The current doctor-to-patient ratio in Nigeria is approximately 1:9,083, a severe shortage of doctors in the country, according to the World Health Organisation's 2025 research.
  • The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, accounted for about 30% of the total number of open-heart surgeries carried out in Nigeria during the tenure of Prof. Adewale Musa-Olomu.
  • The hospital's Radiology Department had no x-ray machine when Prof. Musa-Olomu took office, but today boasts of CT Scan, MRI machine, and other sensitive medical equipment.
  • The FMC Abeokuta has been rated as the best FMC in Nigeria by SERVICOM, thanks to the achievements of the administration, including transforming the centre into a Teaching Hospital status of the Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Abeokuta.
  • Many Nigerian doctors are relocating to the US, UK, and Europe due to low salaries, which average around N700,000 to N800,000 per month, compared to around 10 million Naira per month in these countries.

Statistics:

  • Nigeria has a doctor-to-patient ratio of approximately 1:9,083, according to the World Health Organisation's 2025 research.
  • The WHO recommended ratio of doctor-to-patient is 1:600, exceeding the current ratio in Nigeria by 438.3 times.
  • The average salary of a doctor in Nigeria is around N700,000 to N800,000 per month.
  • Nigeria's brain drain is estimated to have resulted in the loss of millions of dollars in remittances, economic growth, and healthcare services.

Sources:

  • Prof. Adewale Musa-Olomu, Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State.
  • World Health Organisation (WHO), 2025 research on Nigeria's doctor-to-patient ratio.
  • Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State, official website and publications.