By Majeed Salaam
A stronger healthcare system requires more than increased funding and improved infrastructure. It also depends on attracting skilled professionals, expanding medical expertise and building lasting partnerships that improve service delivery. As Nigeria continues to reform its health sector, the Federal Government is increasingly looking to the country’s highly skilled professionals abroad to contribute their knowledge, experience and innovation to national development. President Bola Tinubu’s latest engagement with Nigerian medical professionals in the diaspora underscores this strategy of leveraging global expertise to strengthen healthcare delivery at home.
Receiving a delegation of the Nigerian Diaspora Medical Associations Worldwide at the State House, Abuja, President Bola Tinubu called on Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals living abroad to return home and contribute to the transformation of the nation’s healthcare system under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The delegation, led by the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, was in Abuja as part of activities marking the 2026 National Diaspora Day Celebration.
Addressing the visiting professionals, the President acknowledged the important role that Nigerian experts abroad can play in building a more resilient and globally competitive healthcare system.
“Nigeria needs the knowledge, innovation, experience and patriotism of its highly skilled professionals abroad to build a resilient and world-class healthcare system for all citizens.”
Reflecting on his own professional journey, President Tinubu recalled returning to Nigeria after working with Deloitte and Touche and Mobil, saying his decision was driven by a desire to contribute to national development.
He encouraged members of the diaspora to make similar contributions by bringing home their expertise and supporting ongoing reforms in the health sector.
The President reaffirmed that healthcare remains a central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the Federal Government is implementing reforms to strengthen primary healthcare, expand access to quality medical services and deepen collaboration with Nigerian professionals living overseas.
He also commended the delegation for its recent medical outreach programmes conducted across the country, including in the North-East, North-West, South-East and South-West.
According to the President, the voluntary initiatives, which provided specialist consultations, surgeries, health education and other life-saving medical services, demonstrated the compassion, professionalism and patriotism of Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad.
The President urged the visiting doctors to become ambassadors for Nigeria’s healthcare transformation by encouraging more diaspora professionals to reconnect with the country through partnerships, investments, knowledge exchange and, where possible, permanent return.
Earlier, Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa reaffirmed the commitment of Nigerian healthcare professionals in the diaspora to support the government’s healthcare agenda through continued medical missions and professional collaboration.
She said the recent nationwide medical outreaches reflected their determination to contribute meaningfully to improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Health, Dr Salako, said the growing involvement of diaspora medical professionals demonstrates the increasing impact of the Renewed Hope Agenda within the health sector.
He disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Health will institutionalise the collaboration by making engagement with diaspora healthcare professionals an annual event.
The delegation included leading Nigerian medical professionals from across the diaspora, among them Dr Jide Menakaya, Dr Kunle Akanbi, Dr Uche Menakaya, Dr Itua Iriogbe, Professor Afekhide Ernest Omoti, Professor Rotimi Jaiyesimi and several other specialists committed to supporting healthcare development in Nigeria.
