…As 10,000 Nigerians Benefit From Health Initiative
The Federal Government has rolled out measures aimed at attracting more Nigerian health professionals in the diaspora to support the country’s healthcare system, including simplified licensing procedures, locum arrangements, and customs and visa waivers for medical missions.
The incentives were announced as the government revealed that nearly 10,000 Nigerians benefited from the 2026 Nigeria Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (NDHII), while more than 2,000 frontline healthcare workers received training through medical missions led by Nigerian health professionals abroad.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, disclosed this at the 2026 National Diaspora Merit Award Dinner and Closing Ceremony of the Diaspora Health Impact Initiative at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.
Salako commended Nigerian healthcare professionals in the diaspora for returning voluntarily to provide specialist medical services, perform surgeries, mentor local health workers and strengthen healthcare delivery across the country. He described the initiative as a demonstration of patriotism and a major contribution to ongoing reforms in the health sector.
He identified participating diaspora medical organisations as the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD), Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain (MANSAG), Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), Nigerian Australian Medical Doctors Association (NAMDA), Nigerian Doctors Forum South Africa, Nigerian Medical Association Germany, Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK and the Concerned Medics Foundation.
According to the minister, the teams carried out interventions across the six geopolitical zones, providing medical consultations, specialist surgeries, diagnostic services, telemedicine, sickle cell screening and other healthcare services for nearly 10,000 Nigerians.
He added that more than 2,000 frontline healthcare workers also received additional training to improve healthcare delivery.
Highlighting the programme’s impact, Salako said over 1,000 frontline health workers were trained in the Safer Births Bundle of Care in Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto states.
He said the initiative also recorded more than 4,000 medical consultations and over 500 surgeries in Enugu, Imo and Abia states, while advanced neurosurgery, interventional radiology and endoscopy procedures were carried out in Lagos.
Other interventions included ultrasound-based diagnosis training for endometriosis in Edo State, as well as expanded telemedicine and primary healthcare services in the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State.
Salako reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with Nigerian health professionals abroad through simplified licensing procedures, locum arrangements, customs and visa waivers for medical missions.
He said the Tinubu administration was also supporting diaspora investments in hospitals, diagnostic centres and pharmaceutical manufacturing, alongside broader reforms to improve healthcare financing, infrastructure, workforce welfare and professional development.
The minister called for stronger year-round collaboration beyond annual medical missions through telemedicine, digital health, clinical research, technology transfer, public-private partnerships and diaspora-led investments.
He also urged healthcare professionals abroad to register on the newly launched Nigerians in Diaspora Advanced Health Programme (NiDAH) Portal and the Diaspora Health Registry to facilitate their contributions to Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Salako commended the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), led by Hon. Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, members of the joint planning committee, state governments and development partners for the successful implementation of the initiative.
