The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has raised the alarm over the country's medical brain drain, revealing that some medical students are now preparing to leave Nigeria before completing their training. NMA President, Professor Afekhide Ernest Omoti, disclosed that students are already preparing for foreign qualifying examinations while still in medical school or during their internship, with the aim of relocating soon after obtaining their professional registration in Nigeria.
Omoti made this known in Abuja following the NMA's National Executive Council meeting, which held from August 24 to 28, 2026. He said the trend reflects growing concern among young Nigerians about their prospects in the country's healthcare system.
Students Preparing for Foreign Exams Early
“The Nigerian medical student, even before he graduates, is already planning how to leave the country because he's seen what is ahead of him,” Omoti said. He explained that doctors are not necessarily leaving because they want to abandon Nigeria, but because many can no longer see conditions that would make staying attractive.
“Every doctor wants to remain in this country; I can assure you, hardly any doctor ordinarily would want to leave. We want to stay. But for many people, they just cannot do it anymore,” he added.
Research Shows Widespread Intent to Leave
The NMA's warning aligns with a study published in BMC Medical Education in 2025, which surveyed 2,152 undergraduate medical and nursing students from six Nigerian universities representing the country's six geopolitical zones. The study found that 72.9% of students planning to specialise intended to pursue their specialist training abroad. Furthermore, 97.7% of those planning specialist training abroad intended to begin within five years of graduation.
Among those preferring training abroad, 47.5% had made that decision before entering their programmes, 26.1% decided during their preclinical years, and 16.3% during clinical training. The most popular destinations were the United States (28.5%), the United Kingdom (24.6%), and Canada (23.1%). Notably, 32.7% of students intending to specialise abroad said they had no intention of returning to Nigeria.
Reasons for Wanting to Leave
Among students who preferred to specialise abroad, 75.2% cited better training and expertise, 61.1% pointed to access to better equipment, 56.7% mentioned better career opportunities, 53.2% cited better quality of life, and 42.6% cited improved remuneration. These findings suggest that the problem extends beyond salary alone, encompassing the quality of specialist training, access to modern equipment, professional development, and expected working conditions.
NMA Proposes Measures to Retain Doctors
Following its NEC meeting, the NMA called for the conclusion and implementation of the outstanding Collective Bargaining Agreement with health workers. It also demanded the universal application of doctors' salaries and income across federal, state, university, and local government institutions, as well as tax relief for healthcare professionals. Additionally, the association called for the implementation of a 65-year retirement age for clinical health workers to retain experienced professionals.
On security, the NMA urged stronger measures to protect doctors and healthcare facilities, and intensified efforts against kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and other forms of insecurity. Omoti stressed that the NMA is not asking the government to match salaries in richer countries, but to establish a minimum retention package that would make doctors feel they have a viable future in Nigeria.
“The government spends so much money to train an average doctor, and these doctors leave for free. So who loses? The government loses. The Nigerian people lose,” Omoti concluded.
