*INITIATIVE FOR YOUTH AWARENESS ON MIGRATION, IMMIGRATION, DEVELOPMENT AND REINTEGRATION – IYAMIDR NIGERIA*  

Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

*OPEN LETTER* 

*Date: 26th June, 2026* 

*Ref: IYAMIDR/OL/HEALTH/06/2026*

*To:* 

*His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR* 

*President, Federal Republic of Nigeria* 

*Aso Villa, Abuja*

*Solomon Okoduwa* 

*Executive Director, IYAMIDR Nigeria*

*RE: URGENT NATIONAL INTERVENTION TO STOP THE COLLAPSE OF NIGERIA’S HEALTH SECTOR AMID DANGEROUS ‘MEDICAL JAPA’ TREND*

Your Excellency, Mr. President,

*About IYAMIDR Nigeria:* The Initiative For Youth Awareness on Migration, Immigration, Development and Reintegration, IYAMIDR Nigeria, is a Benin City-based non-profit organization working on safe migration, brain drain mitigation, and the reintegration of skilled Nigerians. We engage youths, health professionals, and policymakers to ensure Nigeria retains the human capital required for national development.

I write with grave concern on behalf of millions of Nigerians who may soon have no doctors or nurses left to treat them. Nigeria is bleeding its health workforce. This is no longer “brain drain”. It is a hemorrhage that threatens national survival.

*1. THE EMERGENCY BY NUMBERS*

– *Over 50,000 Nigerian-trained doctors* now practice abroad. We may have more doctors outside than inside Nigeria.¹

– *4,193 doctors and dentists left in 2024 alone, with 66% going to the UK.*

– *43,221 doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and lab scientists* left between 2023-2024.

– *23,000+ Nigerian nurses and midwives* migrated abroad 2023-2024. *16,156 Nigerian-trained nurses/midwives* are licensed in the UK as of Sept 30, 2025.

– *Doctor-to-population ratio: 1:5,000 vs WHO 1:600. Nurse-to-population: 1:2,000 vs WHO 1:300.*²

*2. WHY THEY ARE LEAVING: THE UNACCEPTABLE PAY & HAZARD GAP*

The pay disparity is the single biggest driver of ‘Medical Japa:

1. *Nigeria*: Doctors earn ~₦240,000/month ≈ $313. Entry-level doctors earn ₦1.81m/year ≈ $5,912. Nurses earn ~₦110,000-₦130,000/month.

2. *United Kingdom*: Doctors earn ~£2,448/month ≈ $2,967. NHS Band 5 nurses earn £2,498-£3,040/month ≈ ₦3.6m-₦4.4m. This means a UK nurse earns about 20 times a Nigerian nurse.

3. *United States*: Doctors average $316,000/year. Registered Nurses average $6,278/month ≈ ₦7.5m, with many earning $100,000+/year.

4. *Canada*: Doctors average $194,000/year. Nurses earn CAD 70,000+ ≈ ₦140.6m/year.

5. *Australia*: Nurses earn £80,091/year ≈ ₦146.8m.

6. *Even within West Africa*: Nurses earn $3,000-$4,000/month, which is 3 to 4 times Nigerian pay.

*Translation*: A UK doctor can earn a Nigerian entry-level doctor’s entire annual salary in less than 3 days.⁴

Beyond pay, our doctors and nurses face 72-hour shifts, non-working equipment, insecurity, and no insurance. 88% of doctors and 50% of nurses have considered leaving unless conditions improve.⁵

*3. THE IMPLICATION IF WE DELAY*

1. *Healthcare Collapse*: Rural and public hospitals will be left empty.

2. *Rising Medical Tourism*: Government will waste more forex abroad because we have no specialists at home.

3. *National Security Threat*: Inability to respond to epidemics, disasters, or military health needs.

4. *Wasted Investment*: Nigeria spends over *N220bn* training doctors only for other nations to benefit.

*4. OUR DEMANDS FOR URGENT ACTION WITHIN 90 DAYS*

We call on you, Mr. President, and all CC’d authorities to make this a strategic political concern:

1. *Emergency Retention Pay Scale*: Review CONMESS/CONHESS immediately. Pay Nigerian health workers at least 50% of UK Band 5 entry for nurses and a living wage for doctors. Pay all hazard/rural allowances.

2. *Fix Hospitals Now*: Equip facilities, provide insurance, security, and enforce humane duty rosters. No more doctors dying after 72-hour shifts.

3. *End Punitive Migration Barriers*: Review the NMCN 2-year rule and 6-month verification delay. Welfare retains, not restrictions.

4. *Diaspora Engagement*: Create a “Health Diaspora Bond” and circular migration for Nigerian doctors abroad to return, teach, or run telehealth for Nigeria.

5. *Adopt the Military Model*: Extend the Military Salary Structure’s welfare approach to civilian health workers, plus housing and education priority.

Mr. President, Edo State and Nigeria cannot afford to be a training academy for the UK, US, Canada, and Australia while Nigerians die at home. We must act now, or there will be no health sector left to save.

Respectfully submitted,

*Solomon Okoduwa* 

*Executive Director, IYAMIDR Nigeria* 

*Benin City, Edo State | Email : iyamidr@gmail.com| http://www.iyamidr.org*

*CC:* 

1. *Senator Monday Okpebholo*, Executive Governor, Edo State, Benin City

2. *Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Health*, Abuja, Nigeria

3. *Nigeria Medical Association, NMA*, National Secretariat, Abuja

4. *National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, NSIWC*, Abuja, Nigeria