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Public Healthcare System
Nigeria's public healthcare is administered through federal, state, and local levels but is severely underfunded, with the government spending less than 5% of GDP on health. Public hospitals in major cities handle high patient volumes but suffer from equipment shortages and long wait times.
- National Hospital Abuja and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) are the flagship public facilities — handling complex cases and medical training
- Primary healthcare centers exist across the country but vary enormously in quality — urban centers are far better equipped than rural areas
- National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA): the 2022 Act mandates health insurance for all Nigerians, but coverage remains low at approximately 10% of the population
- Public hospital consultation fees are subsidized — ₦2,000–₦5,000 ($1.50–$3.50) but wait times of 4–8 hours are common
- Drug shortages in public pharmacies are frequent — patients often need to purchase medications from private pharmacies
- Medical brain drain: an estimated 10,000+ Nigerian doctors work abroad, contributing to understaffing in public facilities