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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to work towards reversing the migration of Nigerian and West African medical professionals by creating conditions that will encourage them to return home and serve their countries.
The President said his administration would work to stem the “japa” syndrome and promote “japada”, the return of skilled professionals to the region, as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and address the shortage of medical personnel.
Tinubu spoke on Monday at the 50th anniversary celebration and annual general and scientific meeting of the West African College of Physicians (WACP) in Abuja, where he was represented by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
“We will work hard to stem the trend of ‘japa’ so that we have ‘japada’ people coming back to serve in our region,” the President said.
He said the Federal Government had recruited more than 30,000 healthcare professionals into federal health facilities over the past two and a half years, alongside investments in specialist training, primary healthcare, health infrastructure and expanded health insurance coverage.
Tinubu said the recruitment drive was part of wider reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s health workforce, improving access to quality healthcare and advancing universal health coverage.
He added that the administration had supported the training of tens of thousands of frontline health workers, strengthened specialist medical institutions and doubled quotas for medical education.
The President called for stronger collaboration among governments, professional medical colleges and other stakeholders to improve postgraduate medical training and create an enabling environment for healthcare workers to practise and develop their careers at home.
He also urged the adoption of digital innovation, including artificial intelligence with appropriate safeguards, to improve healthcare management, patient records, disease surveillance and clinical decision-making.
The President’s appeal comes amid growing concern about the migration of doctors and other skilled health professionals from Nigeria and other West African countries, a trend that places additional pressure on already stretched healthcare systems.
Tinubu further called for stronger regional cooperation in disease prevention and emergency preparedness, including measures to detect and contain infectious disease outbreaks such as Ebola.
He said Nigeria remained committed to strengthening surveillance systems, laboratory networks and cross-border collaboration, adding that the vision of an Ebola-free West Africa and Africa required sustained political commitment and adequate investment in public health.
The President commended the WACP for five decades of contributions to postgraduate medical education, research and professional standards across the sub-region.
He formally declared the anniversary celebration and scientific conference open.
FCTA pledges N200m to support conference
Also speaking, the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, announced a N200 million contribution from the FCT administration to support the conference.
Mahmoud, who said she was also a member of the college, congratulated the WACP on its golden jubilee and called for increased investment in specialist training, medical research, digital health technologies and the welfare of healthcare professionals.
She said retaining skilled medical personnel was critical to addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, infectious disease outbreaks and maternal and child health challenges.
The minister urged governments, professional associations, academic institutions, development partners and the private sector to strengthen collaboration to improve healthcare delivery and support the professional development and retention of medical workers.
She also encouraged the college to expand opportunities for young physicians, promote ethical medical practice and explore emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve clinical decision-making and patient care.
Mahmoud expressed hope that the conference would produce practical recommendations to strengthen health systems and deepen regional cooperation.
Royal College of Physicians calls for stronger partnerships
The President of the Royal College of Physicians, London, Professor Mumtaz Patel, called for stronger international partnerships to address shared challenges in medical workforce recruitment, retention and wellbeing.
Patel said the two institutions shared concerns about the pressures facing physicians and the need to provide compassionate, equitable care while preparing the next generation of medical professionals.
“Global partnerships are at the heart of what we do. We learn as much from you as we impart, and that bidirectional working and relationships is extremely important,” she said.
She described the WACP as an important partner of the Royal College of Physicians and pledged continued collaboration in professional development, medical education and the maintenance of standards of care.
WACP President seeks stronger specialist training
Earlier, the WACP President, Dr Mamadou Mourtalla Ka, called for sustained investment in specialist medical education and scientific research to address the region’s growing healthcare challenges.
Ka said the college had trained and certified thousands of specialist physicians over five decades, contributing to clinical practice, medical education, research and health leadership across West Africa.
He, however, identified the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, persistent infectious diseases, unequal access to healthcare and increasing pressure on health systems as challenges requiring sustained attention.
He called for stronger postgraduate training, relevant scientific research, closer collaboration among national chapters and continued adherence to professional standards.
Ka also urged the college to support younger fellows and trainees while embracing advances in medical science and technology without losing sight of the human values at the heart of medical practice.
WACP records over 40,000 fellows
In his welcome address, the WACP Vice-President, Professor Benjamin Uzochukwu, said the college had produced more than 40,000 fellows and over 4,000 members as of April 2026.
He said the institution, established 50 years ago by five English-speaking West African countries, had expanded into a regional body promoting specialist medical education, professional standards and improved healthcare.
Uzochukwu highlighted the medical outreach held in Garki District, Abuja, on October 24 as an example of the college’s commitment to bringing specialist services closer to communities.
The outreach featured specialist consultations and care for conditions including anaemia, hydrocele and uterine fibroids.
“Our celebrations must ultimately be measured by the lives we touch and health outcomes we help to improve,” he said.
He urged delegates to use the conference to develop practical recommendations on medical training, research, service delivery and regional cooperation, particularly measures that could help governments retain and motivate physicians and other healthcare workers.
The WACP’s golden jubilee and scientific meeting is holding in Abuja from October 26 to 28, with 1,376 participants recorded in the figures supplied by the college, including 1,059 attending physically and 317 virtually.
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