Health is the foundation of wealth and development. No nation can rise above the health of its people. Without good health, children cannot learn, adults cannot work, and societies cannot innovate. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”
For Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million people grappling with malaria, maternal mortality, tuberculosis, cancer, and now lifestyle-related conditions like diabetes and hypertension, the challenge of health is both urgent and enormous. But at the same time, new possibilities are opening before us. One of the most promising is Artificial Intelligence (AI), a technology that could change the way healthcare is delivered in our country.
The Burden of Disease in Nigeria
To understand the potential of AI, we must first confront the reality of Nigeria’s health challenges. Nigeria’s health statistics paint a sobering picture. Life expectancy hovers at about 55 years for men and 58 for women, among the lowest globally. Our maternal mortality rate stands at more than 500 deaths per 100,000 live births, meaning Nigeria contributes nearly one in five maternal deaths worldwide (recent update shows that it may even be higher at one in four). Every day, women walk into delivery rooms, but too many never return home. Many factors including limited access to healthcare, poverty, inadequate healthcare infrastructure and cultural beliefs and practices are largely responsible for this poor rating.
For children, the story is equally tragic: one in ten Nigerian children does not live to see their fifth birthday. Malnutrition remains a silent killer, more than 30% of children under five are stunted, robbed of their potential before life has even begun. Again, the factors responsible are similar to the ones listed above.
Communicable diseases continue to ravage families. Malaria alone accounts for nearly a quarter of global cases, killing about 200,000 Nigerians every year. Tuberculosis and HIV remain heavy burdens, with Nigeria among the top countries for TB incidence and nearly 1.9 million citizens living with HIV. Vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, meningitis, and yellow fever still cause deadly outbreaks that should belong to history, not our present.
Yet, the rise of non-communicable diseases adds another layer of crisis. Hypertension affects nearly four in ten adults. Diabetes is climbing, driven by poor diets and sedentary lifestyles. Stroke and heart disease claim lives daily. Cancers, particularly breast and cervical cancer in women and prostate cancer in men, are often detected late, with devastating consequences.
Behind these statistics lies a strained healthcare system. Nigeria has fewer than 40,000 registered doctors serving over 200 million people, a ratio of one doctor for every 5,000 Nigerians, far below the World Health Organization’s recommendation of one doctor per 600. Rural communities often have no doctors at all, forcing families to travel miles to access care. Our hospitals are underfunded, overcrowded, and under-equipped. Out-of-pocket spending accounts for more than 70% of total health expenditure, pushing millions into poverty every year. And just when we need more hands-on deck, our healthcare practitioners (HCPs) are leaving in droves, our health systems becoming the hapless victims of the global brain drain.
As Arthur Schopenhauer observed, “The greatest of follies is to sacrifice health for any other kind of happiness.” Nigeria cannot afford to continue sacrificing the health of its people.
What Is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence is simply the science of teaching machines to learn, reason, and act like humans, only faster, more accurately, and without fatigue. It is not science fiction; it is data, algorithms, and computing power working together to solve real-world problems.
If you have ever used Siri, Google Assistant, or an online banking system that detects fraud, you have experienced AI at work. In healthcare, AI can look at an X-ray and detect a disease earlier than the human eye can. It can sort through millions of health records to suggest the best treatment plan for a patient. Think of it as a tireless, highly intelligent assistant for doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, not a replacement, but a partner.
As Kofi Annan reminded us, “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society.” AI, when properly applied, is precisely the kind of liberating knowledge we need in healthcare.
How AI Is Already Changing Health Globally
The promise of AI is not theoretical; it is already at work across the world. In India, AI application include AI-powered Drug Discovery (Sun Pharma, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, etc), Remote Health services, as tools for diagnosing diabetic eye disease in rural areas where no eye specialists exist. In the United Kingdom, AI systems scan thousands of mammograms to detect breast cancer earlier, easing the workload of doctors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, AI helped identify potential vaccines and treatments faster than traditional methods. In the United States, AI-powered chatbots now answer basic health questions and triage patients before they even step into a hospital.
These examples show what is possible. The question is: how can Nigeria seize this opportunity? AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery by improving patient outcomes, increasing efficiency and enhancing personalized care.
AI and the Nigerian Health Sector: Pathways to Transformation
Early Diagnosis and Detection
AI can analyze X-rays, CT scans, and even malaria slides with remarkable accuracy. By identifying illnesses early, it can reduce complications, lower costs, and save lives. Imagine a rural clinic where a health worker uploads a patient’s scan to an AI system and receives an instant analysis that would otherwise take weeks.
Telemedicine and Remote Care
With smartphones and AI-powered chatbots, patients in villages can now receive consultations remotely. AI can triage cases, deciding who needs urgent hospital care and who can be managed at home.
Personalized Medicine
AI can tailor healthcare to individual patients by analyzing their genetics, history, and lifestyle. This can dramatically improve treatment outcomes for chronic conditions like cancer or diabetes.
Hospital Management
AI can predict patient flow, optimize bed usage, and reduce waiting times in hospitals. By analyzing patterns, hospitals can plan better, save costs, and improve patient satisfaction.
– Lolu Ojo FSPN, is a consultant pharmacist
Drug Supply and Counterfeit Control
Fake and substandard drugs remain one of Nigeria’s most dangerous health threats. AI can track medicines across the supply chain, identify suspicious patterns, and protect patients.
Public Health and Disease Surveillance
AI can monitor and predict outbreaks of malaria, Lassa fever, or cholera by analyzing health and environmental data. Early warnings mean faster responses and fewer lives lost.
Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” Nigeria’s health crisis is deep, but it is also an opportunity to leapfrog into a better future.
Why Nigeria Cannot Afford to Miss This Opportunity
Just as we leapfrogged from landlines to mobile phones, Nigeria can leapfrog into AI-driven healthcare. Our youthful population is digitally savvy, and our growing community of programmers and entrepreneurs can develop AI solutions tailored to Nigerian realities.
AI also promises cost savings. It can reduce unnecessary hospital visits, limit misdiagnoses, and cut the high costs of travel for patients in rural areas. It can even serve as a powerful training tool for medical students, giving them access to simulated cases and real-life data.
As Alan Kay put it, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”
The Challenges Ahead
Nigeria lacks reliable electronic health records, and without data, AI cannot function effectively. Infrastructure gaps, unstable electricity, weak internet connectivity, and outdated equipment; pose serious obstacles. Ethical issues around patient data privacy and ownership must also be addressed. And some healthcare workers fear being replaced.
Here, it is worth remembering William S. Burroughs’ words: “The purpose of technology is not to confuse the brain but to serve the body.” AI is not here to replace our doctors and nurses, but to help them heal better.
The Way Forward
For AI to fulfill its potential, Nigeria must act deliberately. Government should create a clear national policy on AI in healthcare, backed by investments in digital infrastructure. Public–private partnerships are needed to connect hospitals, universities, and technology firms. Healthcare professionals must be trained in AI applications, and local startups supported to build tools for uniquely Nigerian health challenges.
Above all, Nigeria needs a strong ethical framework to govern the use of patient data and ensure fairness. As John Maxwell observed, “The true measure of leadership is to see possibility in the impossible.”
At the heart of AI in health is not the machine, but the patient. Technology must make our doctors more caring, our hospitals more efficient, and our healthcare system more just.
Imagine a Nigeria where no woman dies in childbirth because AI flagged her risk early. Where no child dies of malaria because AI guided the diagnosis correctly. Where no family is bankrupted by health bills because AI made care more efficient.
As Gandhi wisely said, “The future depends on what you do today.” The decisions we make now will shape the health of generations to come.
Artificial Intelligence will not be the enemy of Nigerian healthcare workers; it is their ally. It is not here to replace human intelligence but to amplify it. Nigeria has the talent, the need, and the opportunity. If we act wisely, AI can help transform our health sector from one defined by scarcity and struggle into one defined by innovation, efficiency, and hope.
The future of health in Nigeria depends on the choices we make today. With courage, wisdom, and vision, we can harness AI to build a healthier, more prosperous nation.
