The death of Nigeria’s former President, Muhammadu Buhari, at the prestigious London Clinic on Sunday, July 13, has reignited fierce debate over the country’s failing healthcare system and the reliance of its political elite on foreign medical institutions.
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Buhari, 82, had been receiving treatment at the private hospital in the UK since April for what was initially described as a routine check-up, but later developed complications. According to his nephew, Mamman Daura, the former president was “in high spirits” and preparing for discharge before he suffered a fatal relapse on Sunday afternoon.
“He was looking forward to his doctor’s visit on Sunday morning. But around midday, he started having breathing challenges… by 4:30 p.m., he gave up the ghost,” Daura told ThisDay.
Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who was also admitted to the hospital, was reportedly discharged in good health just days before Buhari’s demise.
Buhari’s death has drawn attention to The London Clinic’s elite reputation, treating royalty, heads of state, and the world’s wealthiest patients. A UK-based Nigerian doctor familiar with the hospital’s operations told Saturday PUNCH that patients pay up to £750 for consultations, and ICU stays range from £3,000 to £3,500 per night. Major surgeries cost up to £13,000.
Despite the construction of a N21 billion VIP presidential clinic in Abuja during Buhari’s tenure, Nigeria’s leaders including his successor, President Bola Tinubu have continued to seek care abroad. Critics argue that this practice undermines confidence in the nation’s own health system and represents a waste of public resources.
Health professionals have condemned the persistent medical tourism by Nigeria’s leadership. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), and Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) jointly decried the situation as an indictment on governance.
Dr. Tope Osundara, NARD President, described it as “a betrayal of public trust,” adding, “You’re telling people to buy pills you won’t swallow yourself. It sends a dangerous message.”
The NMA President, Prof. Bala Audu, echoed these sentiments, stating, “It’s a clear vote of no confidence in the system they were entrusted to build.” He stressed that the problem was not competence but investment and infrastructure.
Prof. Muhammad Muhammad of MDCAN called for deliberate government action to support both public and private hospitals, citing India and Egypt as examples of countries that turned their health systems into international medical hubs.
Buhari’s eight-year presidency saw the allocation of over N6 billion for foreign medical travel. Despite promises to end medical tourism, he embarked on at least 10 medical trips to London, spending over 225 days abroad during his administration for health reasons. His longest trip lasted 104 days in 2017.
Defending the foreign treatments, former spokesman Femi Adesina argued that Buhari’s longstanding medical team was based in the UK and that using local care “just for show” would have risked his life.
But that rationale was met with outrage from Nigerian doctors.
“When you say Buhari would have died in a Nigerian hospital, you’re saying Nigerian doctors are incompetent. That’s a dangerous and false narrative,” Dr. Osundara said.
Experts warn that continued neglect of the domestic health sector will further accelerate brain drain, with Nigerian medical professionals fleeing the country in search of better opportunities abroad. With billions spent annually on foreign hospitals, stakeholders say it’s time for a radical change.
“The government needs to not only strengthen public hospitals but also support the private health sector with tax breaks, funding, and regulatory reforms,” said Prof. Muhammad.
As Nigeria mourns its former leader, the circumstances of his death have reignited a national reckoning with the healthcare system and a call to finally build a medical infrastructure Nigerians, rich and poor alike, can trust.
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