By Elizabeth Godwin
The President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Professor Bala Muhammad-Audu, has sounded the alarm over Nigeria’s deepening doctor shortage, citing an escalating brain drain and inadequate support for healthcare professionals.
Speaking at the 2025 NMA Annual Delegates Conference and General Meeting held in Katsina State, Prof. Audu revealed that only about 30,000 licensed doctors are currently serving Nigeria’s estimated population of 240 million. This translates to a doctor-to-patient ratio of approximately 1:8,000 – significantly worse than the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of 1:600.
“The situation is dire,” Audu said. “We are seeing an increasing population, yet the number of doctors continues to shrink due to massive emigration.”
According to the NMA, an estimated 15,000 doctors have left Nigeria in the past five years alone. This migration trend, Audu noted, is driven by a combination of poor working conditions, inadequate remuneration, lack of essential medical equipment, and growing insecurity. He added that other key healthcare professionals — including nurses, physiotherapists, and laboratory scientists — are also leaving in large numbers for countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
“Nigerian doctors are among the best trained in the world,” Audu said. “They are highly sought after internationally. Unless urgent steps are taken, our health system will continue to lose its most valuable assets.”
The NMA is urging the federal government to implement structural reforms to halt the exodus. Among the association’s key demands are the full implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) across all sectors and the immediate payment of seven months’ salary arrears, including consequential adjustments for doctors working in federal tertiary institutions.
The association also strongly rejected the proposed National Prescription Policy, insisting that only licensed medical doctors possess the appropriate training and authority to prescribe medication.
This year’s conference, themed “The Universal Applicability of Care Standards for Patients and the Well-being of Health Care Providers,” also included a large-scale medical outreach program. As part of the initiative, more than 500 patients received free medical treatment, 100 underwent eye surgeries, and nutritional supplements were distributed to local orphanages.
Prof. Audu concluded by urging the federal government to prioritize healthcare workforce development, warning that Nigeria’s health system cannot be salvaged without urgent, sustained investment in its human capital.
