The President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Prof Omoti Ernest, on Wednesday, 17 June, 2026 disclosed that presently only 55,000 doctors left to to serve a population of more than 220 million Nigerian people.
Ernest raised the alarm during an interview with Vanguard online at the Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, held at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, FNPH, Yaba, Lagos, on Wednesday, 17 June, 2026 with the theme, “Too Few Doctors, Too Many Patients: The Consequences of Manpower Shortage on the Mental Well-being of Nigerians.”
According to Ernest, recent data showed that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, had registered over 130,000 doctors but noted only about 55,000 are actively practicing within Nigeria.
According to Ernest, with a population exceeding 220 million, this translated to roughly one doctor for every 3,600 to 4,000 people.
“This ratio is far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended threshold of one doctor to about 600 people, highlighting the significant shortage of medical personnel and the strain on healthcare delivery.
“Many Nigerian-trained doctors have emigrated or are no longer engaged in active clinical practice, contributing to the country’s healthcare workforce shortage,” the NMA President said, adding that the emigration of skilled professionals in search of better opportunities abroad has had a significant impact on Nigeria’s hospitals and healthcare workforce.
“Thousands of doctors and other healthcare professionals have left the country in recent years, leading to severe staff shortages, increased workload for those who remain with many suffering from burnout, longer waiting times for patients, and declining quality of care in many public hospitals.
“Rural and under-served communities have been particularly affected, as they already struggle with limited access to healthcare services.
‘’The reasons behind this migration include poor remuneration, inadequate working conditions, insecurity, limited opportunities for career advancement, and insufficient investment in healthcare infrastructure, among others.
“Many professionals are attracted by better pay, improved facilities, and more stable environments in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.”
To address the trend, he said the Federal Government should prioritise salaries and welfare packages for healthcare workers, invest more in modern medical equipment and hospital infrastructure, expand residency and specialist training opportunities, and create clear career progression pathways.
“Strengthening security, ensuring timely payment of wages, and providing incentives for professionals to work in under-served areas will also help retain talent.
‘’In addition, partnerships with the private sector and diaspora engagement programmes could encourage Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad to contribute their expertise and support development of the country’s healthcare system,” NMA President said.
The doctors, among whom are mental experts, speaking at the meeting also said the present situation is worsening access to psychiatric care and leaving millions of vulnerable Nigerians untreated, just as they also disclosed that at least 16,000 Nigerian doctors have emigrated in the last five years, worsening an already dire manpower shortage in the country’s health sector.
They warned that the sustained exodus of healthcare workers under the “Japa” syndrome had severely depleted the country’s mental health workforce, widened treatment gaps, increased the cost of care and placed enormous pressure on the few specialists remaining in the system.
