₦airaland Forum

Nigeria’s long-standing reliance on overseas medical treatment appears to be rapidly reversing, as new data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) shows a dramatic collapse in spending on medical tourism, signalling a major shift in healthcare utilisation toward domestic facilities.

According to CBN figures covering January to June 2025, Nigeria’s medical tourism spending plunged by 96.2 percent year-on-year, falling from $2.38 million in the first half of 2024 to just $0.09 million in the corresponding period of 2025. The sharp contraction, amounting to a $2.29 million decline, marks one of the steepest drops recorded in outbound healthcare expenditure in recent years.

A breakdown of the data reveals that spending patterns in 2024 were driven by an unusual spike at the start of the year. Medical tourism expenditure opened at $2.30 million in January 2024, before collapsing to zero in February, remaining muted at $0.01 million in March, $0.00 million in April, edging up to $0.05 million in May, and easing again to $0.02 million in June.

By contrast, spending in the first half of 2025 remained consistently low throughout the six-month period. January recorded $0.06 million, followed by zero expenditure in February and March, a marginal $0.01 million in April, $0.00 million in May, and $0.02 million in June. No month in 2025 exceeded the $0.06 million mark, underscoring a sustained contraction rather than a temporary dip.

While foreign exchange constraints and tighter economic conditions have played a role, healthcare experts say the numbers increasingly reflect a deeper structural change: Nigeria’s growing capacity to deliver advanced, world-class medical care locally.

Over the past few years, private and public investments in healthcare infrastructure, specialist training, and cutting-edge medical technology have significantly expanded the range of complex procedures now available within the country—reducing the need for patients to seek treatment abroad.

Facilities such as Duchess International Hospital in Lagos have emerged as symbols of this shift. Since commencing operations, the hospital has performed complex procedures once considered exclusive to foreign centres, including 26 successful open-heart surgeries within its first two years. Its management has consistently positioned the hospital as a response to Nigeria’s long-standing medical tourism challenge, offering advanced care at a fraction of offshore costs.

Similarly, Nordica Fertility Centre’s introduction of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) technology for fibroid treatment has eliminated the need for many women to travel to Europe, Asia, or the United States for non-invasive procedures. As the first HIFU centre in West Africa, Nordica has not only retained Nigerian patients but also attracted patients from neighbouring countries, effectively reversing the traditional flow of medical tourism.

In the area of cancer care and urology, The Prostate Centre (TPC) has further strengthened Nigeria’s healthcare credentials with the introduction of AI-powered HIFU therapy for prostate cancer, robotic surgeries, and non-invasive treatments for enlarged prostates. The centre’s capabilities now rival leading international institutions, offering same-day, incision-free procedures with minimal recovery time.

Prof. Kingsley Ekwueme, UK-based consultant urological and robotic surgeon, who has been instrumental in several of these innovations, has repeatedly emphasised that Nigeria is no longer limited by expertise but by scale and awareness. With ongoing training of local surgeons and expanding access to advanced technologies, he said Nigerian patients increasingly have “no medical reason” to travel abroad for care.

The CBN data appears to support this assessment. Analysts note that while January 2024’s spike suggests pent-up demand or exceptional cases, the absence of any rebound in 2025 points to a lasting behavioural change. Nigerians who once viewed overseas treatment as a necessity are increasingly choosing local hospitals capable of handling complex cardiac, oncological, orthopaedic, fertility, and neurological cases.

Policy developments may have reinforced this shift. In January 2025, Olayemi Cardoso, CBN governor launched the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Code, following the introduction of the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System in December 2024. The reforms tightened transparency and accountability in the FX market, making discretionary access to foreign exchange for non-essential spending, including overseas medical travel, more difficult.

Cardoso warned against a return to past practices that enabled privileged access to foreign exchange, noting that such distortions had fuelled inflation, weakened the naira, and eroded public trust. “Practices such as multiple exchange rates and unprecedented ways and means financing inflicted significant damage on market integrity,” he said, stressing that they must never return.

Beyond FX policy, healthcare professionals argue that confidence in local systems is the more decisive factor. Patient testimonials from hospitals performing open-heart surgeries, robotic cancer treatments, and complex reconstructions within Nigeria increasingly mirror outcomes once sought abroad, often at significantly lower costs.


As Nigeria continues to deepen healthcare capacity through public-private partnerships, specialist training, and technology adoption, the steep decline in medical tourism spending may mark a turning point. What was once a symbol of systemic weakness is now increasingly viewed as an avoidable expense.

For the first time in decades, the data suggests that Nigeria is not merely slowing medical tourism due to economic pressure, but outgrowing the need for it altogether.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/businessday.ng/health/article/nigerias-medical-tourism-spending-crashes-96-as-local-healthcare-capacity-deepens/%3famp

Lol... Your fake stats will truly start making sense when Mr. President stops jetting out to France under one silly guise or the other.


Up till now, Doctors are still striking, and over 70% of Nigerian citizens lack access to decent basic healthcare.


See ehn... This is a new year abeg... It's too early for these Obalende stats.

People don dey go broke be that.

These are only half truths. Reasons for reduction are

1. Devaluation of Naira - Relatively Fewer folks could afford medical tourism
2. More stringent measures in sourcing FX for medical tourism through CBN. People who could afford it sourced through the black market.

CBN is only reporting the medical receipts they funded, totally excluded the black market economy

True. It is expected to crash further in coming days, with the US' suspension of B1/B2 Visa. Those public hospitals have become shadows of themselves. The FG no even send them anymore with funding. Na dem dey fall sick like chicken pas. They've forgotten that it's only a healthy staff that can move files in offices. They don't seem to also understand the fact that, before they get to that france or UK for treatment, they must first be resuscitated and stabilised locally.

The day God will catch them is minus 1 today. They think they're dealing with the masses.

This is a big lie. Your politicians are still traveling and dying abroad.

Angelfrost:
Lol... Your fake stats will truly start making sense when Mr. President stops jetting out to France under one silly guise or the other.


Up till now, Doctors are still striking, and over 70% of Nigerian citizens lack access to decent basic healthcare.


See ehn... This is a new year abeg... It's too early for these Obalende stats.

Just explain to us how sad you have been reading this development news.

We have moved on pass to be dwelling on sad and bitter news. As if some of you have vowed to something not to ever read development news from Nigeria again

Ahead ahead Nigeria

Lies. It has crashed cos Trump has stopped u losers from coming to his country to get healthcare

This huge 96% drop in medical tourism spending shows how economic changes and stronger local healthcare options are reshaping where Nigerians get treatment — it might be a sign that more people are now choosing (or forced) to use home-grown medical services.

Anyone who believes this must believe that his/her mom is still a virgin. How did it drop by that much in a year? Where did people get the treatment in Nigeria?

It will be best they let us know we do not have data than just churn out such lies.

Estello:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/businessday.ng/health/article/nigerias-medical-tourism-spending-crashes-96-as-local-healthcare-capacity-deepens/%3famp

That's an impressive feat

96% decline in spending in one year is not possible.

The only reason for this is that people no longer rely on CBN funded FX to fund healthcare treatment abroad.

Flets:
These are only half truths. Reasons for reduction are

1. Devaluation of Naira - Relatively Fewer folks could afford medical tourism
2. More stringent measures in sourcing FX for medical tourism through CBN. People who could afford it sourced through the black market.

CBN is only reporting the medical receipts they funded, totally excluded the black market economy

Wrong. Naira was worse in 2024 than in 2025.

GboyegaD:
Anyone who believes this must believe that his/her mom is still a virgin. How did it drop by that much in a year? Where did people get the treatment in Nigeria?

It will be best they let us know we do not have data than just churn out such lies.

There are now subsidized medical services in Nigeria like Kidney dialysis session. That alone have discouraged people from traveling abroad for medical

Nope
Dollar is more expensive
Visas are harder to get

Nigeria has a dismal population to doctor ratio of 1:3300

Doctors are running away regularly

If it’s gotten better why is the President of Nigeria in France right now for medical treatment?

Effing liars. Fake statistics

The reason for the drop is not because of home improvements but due to higher exchange rate coupled with inflation, the statistics you are dropping is absolutely false and incorrect.
This government have successfully succeeded in eliminating medium class, now making the system a low class and high class. Even among the high class it's only a fraction of them that can afford overseas medical tourism and those politically exposed one. It will be better for this government to stop giving wrong statistics to fool themselves as most Nigerian are well informed of the hardship in the land

Certainly this does not make sense.

Isnt it because in the past when forex was restricted, people had to go thru CBN to get forex (manytimes for frivolous reasons which they roundtrip). Now the market has been freed up, those travelling for healthcare don't need to approach the CBN so wouldn't be counted

Except for the president that always flies to France for treatment

Nigerian are doing some creative things in the medical field. Last time I saw a facility that has very modern equipment and doing very specialized procedures.
Things are actually changing, especially in the private sector. The only problem is affordability. Majority are not able to access those levels of care.
The government can introduce some kind of national insurance with certain conditions to solve this issue

Truly, states and private entities are actually improving on our Health Care.
Even some Primary Health Care Centres now are WOW!
Gradually, gradually, Elephant will fly.

Be deceiving yourself. Instead of saying the number of people that can afford medical tourism has reduced drastically because of the economic situation you are here attributing it to improved medical system in the country. If it was so good like you claimed..why is the president still running abroad for treatment?

helinues:
Just explain to us how sad you have been reading this development news.

We have moved on pass to be dwelling on sad and bitter news. As if some of you have vowed to something not to ever read development news from Nigeria again

Ahead ahead Nigeria

Nope... I am far from sad. I celebrate good news when I see it.

Stats mean nothing when falling short of the stark realities on ground.

It's not patriotism to ignore facts just to praise ineptitude.

😂😂😂😂😂😂

All these fake fake data

That's how the other time, Lagos State health commissioner said something about malaria not being in Lagos again o...

😂 😂 😂

Angelfrost:
Nope... I am far from sad. I celebrate good news when I see it.

Stats mean nothing when falling short of the stark realities on ground.

It's not patriotism to ignore facts just to praise ineptitude.

You could have disputed the statistics with the facts you have at hand without calling it fake.

The reason isn’t due to any improvement in local healthcare services. However, this did not apply to the president of Nigeria, who has never stepped foot in a Nigerian hospital since becoming president.

Generally, people, including the president still travel abroad for medical reasons and source their dollars through the black market. For the president, however, the money would be delivered by bullion vans straight from the CBN vault, off the record

helinues:
There are now subsidized medical services in Nigeria like Kidney dialysis session. That alone have discouraged people from traveling abroad for medical

Nonetheless, it can't decline my over 90% in a year without significant investment on Healthcare.

Simple reason; people can no longer afford to.

Nevertheless, the government should place priority on the medical welfare of its citizens. A situation where the poor can't access and afford health care system is alarming. NHIS should cover the less privilege and downtrodden massively because the poor masses are the vulnerable ones here.

What are the tangible improvements in the medical sector since 2015? Propaganda ni dey better any country oooo

It is because Nigerians can't afford the medical luxury tourism, not because things has changed significantly here