Tinubu Urges Medical College To Solve Doctor ‘Japa’ Syndrome

President Bola Tinubu has urged the West African College of Physicians (WACP) to develop practical and sustainable solutions to the growing migration of doctors and other medical professionals from Nigeria and across West Africa.

Tinubu made the call on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at the State House in Abuja, shortly after receiving an honorary fellowship from the college in recognition of his administration’s contributions to healthcare development.

The President challenged the college to examine why trained medical professionals were leaving the region for opportunities abroad and identify measures that could encourage them to remain in their home countries.

“Why are all our professionals moving overseas? What can we do to improve the conditions that will make them do more back home?” Tinubu asked, according to reports of the meeting.

He warned that the continued departure of skilled health workers was placing additional pressure on already strained healthcare systems, limiting access to essential medical services and increasing the workload of professionals who remained.

The charge was disclosed by the college’s Assistant Secretary-General, Hasibu Galadanci, during a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, as the institution began activities marking its 50th anniversary and annual general and scientific meeting.

Galadanci said the college had scheduled a dedicated session to examine the factors pushing medical professionals out of West Africa and the incentives attracting them to other countries.

He described medical migration as a complex issue requiring a comprehensive response rather than a single intervention.

The conference, scheduled to run from October 24 to 28 in Abuja, brings together medical specialists, researchers and policymakers to discuss healthcare delivery, postgraduate medical education, workforce retention and emerging medical technologies.

The college’s leadership also identified the development of specialist training within West Africa as an important achievement over the past five decades. Its Secretary-General, Professor Musa Dankyau, said regional institutions had helped train specialists who previously might have needed to travel to Europe for postgraduate education.

However, retaining these professionals remains a major challenge as foreign health systems continue to attract experienced doctors with competitive salaries, improved working conditions and opportunities for career advancement.

Tinubu’s intervention comes amid persistent concerns over Nigeria’s shortage of medical personnel and the effects of health-sector migration on hospitals and patients.

The Federal Government has previously introduced a National Policy on Health Workforce Migration aimed at managing professional migration, improving retention and encouraging the return of Nigerian health workers in the diaspora.

Recommendations from the WACP’s scientific meeting are expected to be compiled into a communiqué for engagement with governments and regional institutions.

The outcome could contribute to discussions on improving working conditions, strengthening specialist training and developing long-term strategies to retain medical professionals across West Africa.