Korede Abdullah 
Lagos Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos State Government says it is expanding healthcare workers’ welfare, housing and financing reforms to curb the growing migration of doctors and nurses abroad.
Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, announces the measures Tuesday during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing in Alausa marking the seventh anniversary of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
Abayomi says Lagos is strengthening its health system to withstand future challenges, including pandemics, flooding and rapid population growth.
“With Lagos projected to reach 34 million residents within four years, we are making sure that the health sector is robust enough to manage everything that comes its way,” he says.
The commissioner says the state aims to transform Lagos into a leading medical tourism destination by 2052 through universal health coverage and mandatory health insurance.
According to him, Lagos operates 34 secondary and tertiary public health facilities, 325 Primary Healthcare Centres, about 3,500 private hospitals and more than 10,000 community pharmacies and patent medicine outlets.
Despite the infrastructure, Abayomi warns that Lagos faces a severe shortage of healthcare professionals.
“Nigeria currently has about 40,000 doctors at a ratio of one doctor to 5,000 people,” he says.
“The country needs about 300,000 additional doctors, while Lagos requires 40,000 doctors. Currently, Lagos has 7,000.”
He adds that each doctor in Lagos is effectively carrying the workload of 10 doctors due to manpower shortages.
To reverse the trend, the commissioner says the government is introducing incentives to attract Nigerian doctors in the diaspora while improving local working and living conditions.
A 72-room accommodation facility for house officers has been completed at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, while staff quarters in Gbagada, Ojo and LASUTH approach completion.
Abayomi says all future medical facilities in Lagos will include residential housing for healthcare workers.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Otamere Gladness 
