Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, has called on doctors and other medical professionals in Nigeria to stay in the country rather than emigrate abroad, hinting that a significant development is underway for the healthcare sector.
In a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, July 30, Abayomi appealed directly to healthcare workers, urging them not to join the growing wave of emigration known locally as 'japa'. He wrote: 'To all our medical professionals, this is not the time to japa. Something big is going to happen. You can leave, but not for too long. For those who have left, we are building something iconic. Start thinking about how you can contribute. Reach out to us at the Ministry of Health.'
Nigeria's Healthcare Brain Drain Crisis
The commissioner's plea comes amid a worsening manpower shortage in Nigeria's health sector. At the Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNPH), Yaba, Lagos, in June, doctors sounded the alarm over the accelerating exodus of medical professionals.
According to reports from the conference, approximately 16,000 Nigerian physicians have emigrated within the last five years, leaving an estimated 55,000 doctors to care for a population of more than 220 million people. The event, themed 'Too Few Doctors, Too Many Patients: The Consequences of Manpower Shortage on the Mental Well-being of Nigerians,' highlighted the severe strain on the system.
Impact on Mental Health Services
Mental health specialists present at the conference warned that the brain drain has widened treatment gaps, driven up the cost of care, and placed crushing pressure on the few professionals still working in the system. The shortage is particularly acute in psychiatric care, where the demand for services far exceeds the available workforce.
The phenomenon of 'japa', a Yoruba word meaning 'to escape', has seen tens of thousands of young Nigerians move abroad in search of better opportunities. Persistent challenges such as unreliable power supply, security concerns, corruption, and perceived poor governance have driven many to conclude that building a future outside the country offers better prospects.
Why Nigerian Doctors Are Leaving
For medical workers specifically, poor remuneration, inadequate facilities, and the emotional toll of operating in an under-resourced system have made emigration an attractive option. Many doctors report working in environments where basic equipment is lacking, patient loads are overwhelming, and salaries are insufficient to meet living costs.
In response to the crisis, Abayomi's call for those who have already left to consider returning and contributing to what he described as an 'iconic' project signals an acknowledgement by the Lagos state government of both the scale of the problem and the need to draw back skilled professionals.
Government's Response and Future Plans
While the commissioner did not provide details of the planned development, his message suggests that the state government is working on initiatives to improve conditions for healthcare workers and stem the tide of emigration. The Lagos State Ministry of Health has been urged to engage with diaspora medical professionals to explore ways they can contribute from abroad or return to Nigeria.
Earlier, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's special adviser on policy communication, Daniel Bwala, had argued that emigrating does not guarantee prosperity. He noted that a Nigerian working in the United Kingdom earning between £2,600 and £2,800 monthly could, in some respects, be worse off than someone earning N60,000 in Nigeria, due to the high cost of living abroad.
As Nigeria's brain drain continues to drain critical sectors, the call from Lagos authorities represents a strategic effort to retain talent and rebuild confidence in the nation's healthcare system. Whether the promised 'something big' will be enough to reverse the trend remains to be seen.
