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Nigeria’s Healthcare Indicators Under Tinubu Among Worst In Africa- US report
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The United States Trade Administration has painted a gloomy picture of Nigeria’s healthcare system, describing it as underdeveloped and lacking modern medical facilities.
In a report published on its Trade Administration website, it stated that Nigeria’s health indicators, under President Bola Tinubu, remain one of the worst in Africa.
“Healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria is still underdeveloped and lacks modern medical facilities,” the report stated.
According to the department, “The country’s healthcare indicators are some of the worst in Africa. It has one of the fastest growing populations globally with 5.5 live births per woman and a population growth rate of 3.2 percent annually. It is estimated to reach 400 million people by 2050, becoming the world’s fourth most populous country.”
The report also noted that “Medical professionals are in short supply, with only about 23.3 doctors per 100,000 population below the WHO recommended 100 doctors per 100,000 population, partially due to the massive migration of healthcare workers overseas.”
Highlighting the economic impact of the nation’s weak health sector, the report stated that “Nigeria loses at least $2 billion every year to medical tourism, according to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). India accounts for more than half of this outflow.”
It further stressed Nigeria’s overwhelming reliance on foreign medical equipment. “Nigeria depends largely on imports for medical devices, with over 98 percent of its equipment needs supplied by imports. Local production is very limited and consists largely of syringes,” the report added.
The department also pointed out the outdated administrative systems in the country’s hospitals. “Most Nigerian hospitals still store patient records manually using traditional paper methods.”
It emphasised that regulatory and financial challenges continue to hamper healthcare delivery. “Medical devices and pharmaceutical products must be registered with the NAFDAC before they can be imported into Nigeria. This process can be painfully long and rigorous, involving the submission of several documents. Product counterfeiting is rampant, and rights enforcement is weak. Nigeria has limited funds for its healthcare procurements and projects that require overseas inputs.”
The report underscores the urgent need for investment, policy reform, and modernization in Nigeria’s health sector to meet the needs of its rapidly growing population.
This development comes even as the country’s resident doctors threaten to commence strike from November 1.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) accused the Federal Government of owing doctors and other health workers across the country an estimated ₦38 billion in accumulated allowances.
President of the association, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, made the claim on Monday during a press briefing in Abuja, where he presented the resolutions of NARD’s Extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. The meeting followed the expiration of the association’s 30-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address long-standing welfare concerns.
Suleiman disclosed that resident doctors have already commenced ward rounds and patient handovers ahead of a planned nationwide total and indefinite strike, which is set to begin on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
“There are allowances of over two years, there’s 18 months, there’s seven months, there’s four months, there’s eight months. There’s an allowance error that is over 10 years old. There’s a failure to review even the basic salary of doctors in this country for 16 years,” he was quoted by Punch Newspaper as saying.
He added, “For instance, in the outstanding 25-35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review, there is the accoutrement allowance for all doctors in the health sector. For all the health care workers, I think the outstanding owed is about N35-38bn. If it’s just resident doctors, we’re just talking about maybe N400m. But for all doctors in Nigeria, it could be N600-800m.”
According to Suleiman, the government’s inaction persists despite the association’s earlier warning strike and subsequent extensions of deadlines meant to allow time for resolution.
He recalled, “Following the suspension of our five-day warning strike on September 14, 2025, the last NARD Annual General Meeting, held in Katsina State, graciously extended the two-week ultimatum given to the Federal Government by an additional 30 days to address the 19-point demands as outlined in the AGM communiqué.”
“This grace period has since elapsed, yet the Federal Government has failed to demonstrate the political will necessary to address the legitimate concerns of Nigerian resident doctors.”
The NARD president stated that during its October 25 Extraordinary NEC meeting held via Zoom, the association reviewed the government’s response and found it unsatisfactory.
By Gloria Ikibah
A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Kolawole Akinlayo, has urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to strictly apply the provisions of the Electoral Act in resolving the controversy surrounding the party’s primary election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II.
Akinlayo, who represents Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi Federal Constituency in the House, made the appeal while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, following a petition he submitted to the APC National Chairman and the party’s National Assembly Appeal Committee over the outcome of the primary election held on 16 May.
The lawmaker argued that compliance with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as the APC Constitution, is essential to safeguarding the credibility of the party’s internal democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He maintained that the rule of law should take precedence over political considerations, warning that any departure from the Electoral Act could weaken confidence in the party’s candidate selection process and expose the APC to avoidable legal disputes.
Akinlayo also challenged the eligibility of the aspirant declared winner of the primary, Kunle Ibrahim, contending that he did not meet the legal requirements to contest the election.
According to the lawmaker, Ibrahim was still serving as a Special Assistant in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation at the time the primary was conducted and remained on the government payroll until May 2026.
He insisted that the party should carefully review the facts surrounding the matter and ensure that its final decision is consistent with both the Electoral Act and its own constitution to protect the integrity of the nomination process.
Akinlayo argued that Ibrahim’s participation violated Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides that:
“A political appointee at any level shall not be a voting delegate or be voted for during party conventions, congresses or primaries of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”
Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Tukur v. Mustapha (2023), the federal lawmaker contended that political appointees seeking elective office must first resign their appointments before participating in party primaries.
“The purported winner is not qualified to participate in the primary election by virtue of Section 88(1) and his participation, in the eyes of the law, is a nullity ab initio,” he argued.
Beyond the issue of eligibility, Akinlayo alleged that the primary election was marred by widespread irregularities in several wards across the constituency.
Akinlayo further alleged that the primary election was marred by widespread irregularities, including the absence of voter accreditation in some polling areas, inflated vote figures in others, voter suppression and disruption of the exercise in locations where he claimed to enjoy significant support.
He also accused certain local government and party officials of compromising the integrity of the process by serving as returning officers despite having vested interests in the outcome of the election.
Citing the alleged violations, the lawmaker called on the APC leadership to apply the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act by disqualifying Kunle Ibrahim from the contest on the grounds of ineligibility and recognising him as the lawful winner, having emerged second in the primary.
As an alternative, he urged the party’s National Assembly Appeal Committee to cancel the results from the affected wards and order a fresh primary election restricted to aspirants who meet the legal requirements.
The dispute has emerged as one of the earliest major internal challenges facing the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the party expected to conclude its appeal process before forwarding the names of its candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The controversy has also renewed attention on Section 88 of the Electoral Act, 2026, which reflects provisions contained in the Electoral Act, 2022 concerning the participation of political appointees in party primaries. The issue has repeatedly come before the courts, with the Supreme Court affirming in Tukur v. Mustapha that political appointees must resign their appointments before contesting or participating in party primaries as either aspirants or delegates.
The decision of the APC’s appeal panel is expected to determine who eventually flies the party’s flag in the 2027 House of Representatives election for Ekiti North Federal Constituency II.
A helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia killed 14 Saudi citizens on Sunday, the kingdom’s official press agency reported, adding that the aircraft belonged to state oil giant Aramco.
The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official at the energy ministry, reported the helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura in the country’s east.
“The accident claimed the lives of all 14 passengers, all Saudi citizens,” the agency said, adding that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the crash.
Aramco says it operates more than 60 aircraft, including helicopters serving more than 300 heliports in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the largest corporate fleets in the region.
The deadly accident comes as oil-rich Gulf nations seek to ramp up their output following Iranian attacks and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the export of oil and gas.
The Gulf monarchy did not indicate the incident was in any way connected to a hostile attack.
During the Middle East war, Iranian attacks had targeted energy facilities in the Gulf.
Ras Tanura is home to one of the largest refineries in the Middle East, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, and is critical to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector.
The refinery has been targeted several times, notably during an Iranian drone attack at the beginning of the conflict, which caused a fire and forced a partial shutdown.
Riyadh said in April that the weeks-long attacks had disrupted several production operations at key facilities, with refineries in Ras Tanura as well as Jubail, Yanbu and Riyadh targeted.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading crude exporter, produces a little over 10 million bpd.
AFP
An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, planted by alleged bandits along the Kurawa–Sabon Birni road in Sokoto State on Sunday hit a vehicle, killing one person and injuring many passengers.
The incident raised fresh concerns over the growing use of explosive devices by criminal groups operating in parts of the North-West.
The vehicle was said to be conveying passengers from surrounding communities to Sabon Birni when it ran over the explosive device, triggering a blast that severely damaged the vehicle and left several occupants injured.
A security analyst based in the area, Bashir Guyawa, disclosed the incident in a post on his Facebook page.
Guyawa described the incident as another reminder of the persistent security challenges confronting communities along the border axis.
He said the vehicle was on a routine passenger trip when the explosion occurred.
“The vehicle was conveying passengers early this morning on their way to Sabon Birni when the unfortunate incident happened,” he wrote.
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