Medical professionals have raised concerns over a growing doctor shortage crisis in Nigeria, warning that only about 55,000 doctors remain in active practice to serve a population exceeding 220 million people. The concerns were highlighted during the Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNPH), Yaba, Lagos. Experts said the situation is placing immense pressure on healthcare workers while reducing access to essential medical and mental health services.
The conference, themed “Too Few Doctors, Too Many Patients: The Consequences of Manpower Shortage on the Mental Well-being of Nigerians,” focused on the impact of workforce depletion on healthcare delivery. Participants noted that the migration of healthcare professionals, commonly referred to as the “Japa” phenomenon, has intensified staffing challenges across the country.
Medical practitioners at the event reported that more than 16,000 Nigerian doctors have emigrated within the last five years. They argued that the sustained departure of trained professionals has widened treatment gaps, increased healthcare costs, and left many communities with inadequate access to medical care.
President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Omoti Ernest, confirmed that although the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has registered over 130,000 doctors, only about 55,000 are actively practising in the country.
According to him, the current doctor shortage crisis means there is approximately one doctor for every 3,600 to 4,000 Nigerians. He said this falls significantly below the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation of one doctor to about 600 people. Prof. Ernest stated: “Many Nigerian-trained doctors have emigrated or are no longer engaged in active clinical practice, contributing to the country’s healthcare workforce shortage.”
He added that poor remuneration, inadequate working conditions, insecurity, limited career advancement opportunities, and weak healthcare infrastructure continue to drive migration to countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
Consultant Psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Dr. Yesir Kareem, said the consequences are particularly severe for mental healthcare. According to him, more than 40 million Nigerians live with mental health disorders, while approximately 85 per cent lack access to mental healthcare services. Kareem warned that untreated mental illnesses contribute to family instability, substance abuse, unemployment, delayed diagnoses, and premature deaths.
Mental health experts said the doctor shortage crisis has become especially damaging in psychiatric care. President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), Dr. Veronica Nyamali, disclosed that the country currently has fewer than 150 psychiatrists.
She explained that specialists are increasingly forced to perform duties ordinarily handled by junior doctors due to workforce shortages. Nyamali also noted that specialist scarcity has made mental healthcare more expensive and less accessible, particularly in rural communities.
The experts further linked worsening mental health outcomes to economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, kidnappings, and substance abuse, warning that these factors continue to increase demand for already stretched services.
The ARD urged federal and state governments to improve remuneration, strengthen welfare packages, expand specialist training programmes, and invest more in healthcare infrastructure to retain skilled professionals. Participants also advocated greater integration of mental health services into primary healthcare, wider deployment of telepsychiatry, and improved public awareness initiatives.
In a communiqué issued after the conference, the association reaffirmed its commitment to improving healthcare delivery and supporting resident doctors, while calling for urgent measures to address Nigeria’s growing healthcare workforce challenges.
