Nigerians spent $1.58bn on health tourism, foreign education, others in H1 2023 — CBN

By Sodiq Adelakun

Nigerians spent a total of $1.58 billion on health tourism, foreign education, and other personal matters in the first six months of 2023, according to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The data revealed that $245.68 million was spent on overseas health-related issues, $896.09 million on foreign education, and $434.63 million on other personal foreign needs.

The expenditure on medical tourism and foreign education has been contributing to the increasing demand for foreign exchange in the country.

Experts believe that the lack of adequate health infrastructure in Nigeria is one of the main reasons why Nigerians seek medical treatment abroad.

The National Vice Chairman of the Joint Health Sector Unions, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, commented on the issue, stating that wealthy Nigerians lack confidence in the country’s medical facilities due to inadequate infrastructure and equipment, despite having well-trained medical personnel capable of handling all types of medical cases.

“These prefer to spend their money abroad, but when they get there, it is still Nigerian doctors that will attend to them. We hope President Bola Tinubu will make our health centres attractive by putting up standard infrastructures and equipment that are up-to-date with the current emerging diseases ravaging the country.”

The country is making moves to reverse the trend of medical tourism amidst declining revenues. A bill seeking to prescribe a jail term of seven years and, or a fine of N500 million recently passed a second reading at the House of Representatives.

Recently, the late Ondo state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, spent months away in Germany for medical reasons.