A broken health system? Nigeria spent $549m on overseas medical travel in nine months

The Punch reports that the outflow represents the personal medical travel allowance Nigerians can access from the CBN. While the central bank tracks the amount of FX issued for medical travel, it does not track how individuals spend it.

A health expert has said the rising figure shows persistent demand for treatment abroad, driven by weak confidence in local care, recurring disruptions, and limited capacity for specialised services. Former Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria president Olumide Akintayo said the system has deteriorated, pointing to prolonged industrial action and its knock-on effects.

“What the statistics and data… confirm authoritatively is that the health system has only gotten worse,” Akintayo said, adding, “We have just witnessed the longest-ever strike of health workers… 84 days.”

Nigerian Medical Association president Prof. Bala Audu said many Nigerians seeking FX for medical travel are likely pursuing treatment for serious, long-term illnesses. “Without that information, it would be very difficult to proffer a solution. But most likely it will be for chronic debilitating diseases such as different types of advanced cancers,” he said.

Audu added that Nigeria has skilled clinicians but lacks critical infrastructure. “For most treatments that are not available, the competent people to give those treatments are available. But what about the equipment?” he asked, citing gaps ranging from specialised machines to reagents and tests sometimes sent abroad.