Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has warned that the continued migration of Nigerian doctors is no longer only a healthcare challenge but a growing threat to the country’s medical education system.
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Fayemi said Nigeria risks losing the capacity to train the next generation of doctors and specialists if the exodus of experienced medical professionals continues unchecked.
He called on the Federal Government to negotiate binding bilateral agreements with wealthier countries recruiting Nigerian-trained doctors and other health professionals, arguing that such countries should contribute financially towards the cost of training replacement personnel.
Fayemi spoke while delivering the convocation lecture at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, titled, “Rethinking 21st Century Specialised Medical University in the Nigerian Context: Are the Challenges Surmountable?”
According to him, the migration of experienced physicians is gradually depleting the pool of consultants and specialists required to teach medical students, supervise residency programmes and sustain specialised medical universities across the country.
He argued that Nigeria could not continue to invest heavily in the education and professional training of doctors only for developed countries to benefit from their expertise without contributing to the cost of replacing them.
Fayemi cited his experience in Ekiti State, revealing that more than half of the 50 pioneer medical graduates of Ekiti State University employed by his administration in 2019 had since relocated abroad in search of better opportunities.
“I have seen this in real life. More than half of the 50 pioneer medical graduates of EKSU that we employed in 2019 have left the country in search of greener pastures,” he said.
The former governor identified poor remuneration, inadequate working conditions, limited opportunities for professional advancement and the absence of a stable working environment as major factors driving Nigerian doctors abroad.
He, however, maintained that restricting medical professionals from leaving the country would neither be constitutional nor sustainable.
According to him, the more effective solution is for Nigeria to make its health sector attractive enough for doctors and other professionals to build rewarding careers at home.
Fayemi advocated competitive salaries, modern medical facilities, expanded residency and fellowship opportunities, clearly defined career progression, as well as practical incentives such as housing and transportation support.
He also called for ethical international recruitment arrangements under which destination countries would contribute towards the education and training of replacement health workers whenever they recruit Nigerian professionals.
The former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum recalled that Nigeria had canvassed a similar position at the Africa Health Workforce Investment Forum held in Accra, Ghana, in May 2026.
He urged the Federal Government to pursue the proposal more vigorously in future bilateral negotiations with countries that continue to recruit Nigerian-trained healthcare workers.
Fayemi cautioned policymakers against viewing the migration of doctors merely as an individual career decision, stressing that the trend has become a strategic national challenge with implications for both healthcare delivery and medical education.
He warned that the continued loss of consultants, specialists and experienced medical personnel could weaken the capacity of universities and teaching hospitals to train future generations of health professionals.
According to him, unless Nigeria addresses the underlying causes of the migration and develops a sustainable system for replacing lost expertise, the consequences could affect the country’s healthcare and medical education systems for decades.
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