Published May 2 2025
As the world races towards the 2030 deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Nigeria faces a critical question: Can it meet its health targets with its ongoing loss of skilled human resources?
Back in 2015, world leaders gathered at the United Nations to set the SDGs in motion. The SDGs is a global roadmap to address pressing challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. Building on the foundation laid by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the SDGs were more comprehensive and ambitious, encompassing 17 goals designed to create a sustainable future for all.
Among these, SDG 3 “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” holds particular importance for Nigeria. Summarily, the goal prioritises reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health; communicable and non-communicable diseases; universal health coverage; and access for all to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines and vaccines. But achieving this goal hinges on a factor that is increasingly scarce in Nigeria: human resources for health (HRH).
A Health System Can’t Function Without Health Workers
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health are clear: no health system can thrive without a strong, well-distributed, and motivated health workforce. Yet Nigeria remains far behind the recommended threshold.
WHO advises a minimum of 4.45 skilled health workers per 1,000 people. Nigeria currently has only 1.83 per 1,000, and its population is projected to exceed 263 million by 2030, further straining an already overstretched system.
To make matters worse, thousands of trained health professionals are leaving the country. It was reported that between 2008 and 2021, over 36,000 Nigerian doctors migrated to the UK alone. The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria reported that from 2021 to 2024, more than 42,000 nurses left for opportunities abroad. This “brain drain” is weakening the health system right when it’s needed most.
The Consequences
The consequences are serious. Fewer health workers mean increased workloads for those who remain, diminished quality of care, and more people turning to informal or unregulated health providers. Ultimately, this leads to worse health outcomes, and Nigeria’s data reflects this.
- Maternal Mortality Ratio: Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio was 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, ranking as the third-highest in Africa. This figure is significantly above the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
- Neonatal Mortality Rate: In 2022, Nigeria’s neonatal mortality rate stood at 34.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is nearly three times higher than the SDG target of 12 deaths per 1,000 live births.
- Under-5 Mortality Rate: The under-5 mortality rate in Nigeria was 107 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022, substantially exceeding the SDG target of 25 deaths per 1,000 live births
Clearly, without a stronger health workforce, Nigeria risks falling far short of these critical benchmarks.
Is There a Way Forward?
As 2030 approaches, Nigeria must reflect critically on its health workforce crisis and take bold, evidence-informed steps to reverse the current trend. While acknowledging recent policy moves, more concrete actions are needed to rebuild and retain a skilled health workforce capable of delivering essential health services. Here’s how:
Strengthen Implementation of the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration
The recently signed National Policy on Health Workforce Migration is a promising step aimed at reversing the effects of brain drain by encouraging the return of health professionals from the diaspora. However, for the policy to be effective, it must go beyond paper commitments. Implementation should include incentives such as streamlined reintegration programs, opportunities for professional growth, and platforms for diaspora engagement in national health planning. Monitoring mechanisms must also be embedded to track their effectiveness and make real-time adjustments.
Improve Remuneration and Working Conditions
Many Nigerian health professionals cite poor remuneration, lack of career advancement, and unsafe or understaffed work environments as key reasons for leaving the country. Competitive salaries, regular payment of wages, and access to basic work tools are essential to retaining health workers. Addressing these concerns requires sustainable investment in the health sector, improved governance, and robust public-private partnerships to support the health workforce at scale.
Ensure Equitable Distribution of Health Workers
Health workers are often concentrated in urban centres, leaving rural and underserved communities without access to skilled professionals. Deliberate deployment strategies should be adopted to ensure equitable distribution across geopolitical zones. This includes offering rural service incentives such as housing, transport allowances, hazard pay, and opportunities for continuous professional development for those working in remote areas.
Recognise and Integrate Informal and Volunteer Health Workers
A paradoxical surplus exists where trained health workers remain unemployed or serve as informal “volunteers” in public and private health facilities. While they play a crucial role in delivering care, they are not part of the formal system and often lack support or regulation. There is an urgent need to conduct a nationwide assessment to understand their prevalence and roles. Evidence-based strategies should then be developed to formally integrate these workers into the health system through contracts, training, and accreditation.
Conclusion
With just five years to go, Nigeria must act decisively. Meeting the SDG health targets is not just about policy, it’s about people. Without a strong and supported workforce, universal health coverage will remain out of reach, and lives will continue to be lost unnecessarily.