Nigeria is spending even more scarce foreign exchange on treatment abroad and the rising numbers are renewing questions about the state of healthcare at home.
Fresh data from the Central Bank of Nigeria shows that Nigerians spent $549.29 million on medical-related travel in the first nine months of 2025. That is nearly an 18% jump from the $465.67 million recorded during the same period in 2024.
The increase has been steady. Spending rose from $151.53 million in the first quarter of 2025 to $189.41 million in the second, before climbing again to $208.35 million in the third. A year earlier, the comparable quarterly figures were noticeably lower.
The data reflects foreign exchange obtained for medical travel allowances. While the central bank tracks how much FX is sold for that purpose, it does not monitor how the money is eventually used.
The figures have fueled criticism of the Federal Government, particularly after repeated assurances that medical tourism would be reduced
In 2023, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, pledged to strengthen health security and curb outbound treatment. By April 2025, he said Nigeria was losing about $2 billion annually to medical tourism and stressed the need to build “health sovereignty.”
He also pointed earlier this year to signs that patients from other countries were beginning to seek care in Nigeria.
Yet the latest numbers suggest that outward flows remain strong, especially for complex procedures such as heart surgeries, cancer treatment and other highly specialized care.
Health sector stakeholders say the surge is not surprising.
Olumide Akintayo, former president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, argues that recurring strikes, weak supply chains and governance issues have further eroded confidence in public hospitals. Even short disruptions, he says, can stall surgeries, delay diagnostics and interrupt access to essential medicines.
The Nigerian Medical Association shares similar concerns. Its president, Prof. Bala Audu, notes that Nigerian doctors are widely respected and often recruited overseas, but local hospitals frequently lack advanced equipment and critical reagents needed for complex treatments.
He also points out that without detailed breakdowns of what the FX is used for, policymakers may struggle to design targeted reforms.
The growing outflow comes at a delicate time for Nigeria’s foreign reserves and the naira. Former NMA president Prof. Mike Ogirima warns that sustained medical tourism adds pressure to already limited FX resources.
At the heart of the issue lies a persistent contradiction: Nigeria produces skilled medical professionals, yet many facilities remain under-equipped. Until investment in infrastructure, technology and accountability matches the country’s medical talent, analysts say the reliance on treatment abroad is unlikely to ease.
For now, the numbers send a clear message for many Nigerians who can afford it, confidence in domestic healthcare remains a work in progress.
