Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria has recorded what its organisers describe as the country’s first tele-robotic surgery, allowing a surgeon at the Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV) to remotely operate on a patient at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja.
The procedure led by a Urology and Transplantation specialist and co-founder of RoboMed Global, Professor Obi Ekwenna-Davis was performed in real time on Saturday using a Toumai robotic surgery system at RHV, in collaboration with RoboMed Global and Nisa Premier Hospital.
The operation was a robot-assisted right radical nephrectomy, involving the removal of a kidney affected by a cancerous tumour.
“Distance should never decide who receives safe surgery; this is what safe and trusted surgery looks like,” Ekwenna-Davis said.
He said the patient was in good condition and was expected to be discharged within 24 hours, adding that a robotic academy would be established to train surgeons and other medical professionals, with a target of training at least 150 surgeons within two years.
RHV Chief Executive Officer Adedamola Dada said the development demonstrated that Nigerians could access advanced medical procedures without travelling abroad.
“What has happened today is a demonstration that Nigerians can access modern healthcare without travelling abroad,” Dada said.
Nisa Premier Hospital Chief Executive Officer Ibrahim Wada said the hospital had operated as a centre for robotic surgery in West Africa since November 2025.
“Today, our patient received specialist surgical expertise from across the country without leaving Abuja. This is what becomes possible when Nigerian institutions decide to build together,” Wada said.
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Hope Ajayi 
