Nigeria inaugurates first robotic surgery academy

Nigeria has launched the Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV) Robotic Surgery Academy, the country’s first institution dedicated to advanced surgical innovation and specialist training. Established in collaboration with RoboMed Global, the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, and Redeemer’s University, the academy aims to train 400 robotic surgery specialists and surgeons within two years.

Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa stated that the initiative is part of a broader government effort to strengthen local healthcare capacity and reduce medical tourism. He noted that the federal government has invested approximately N250 billion in medical education over the last two years. To support this, the academy will be included among the 28 institutions eligible for local scholarships through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

The development comes as Nigeria seeks to address the high costs of medical tourism, where patients often spend between $15,000 and $20,000 abroad for specialized treatments such as prostate cancer surgery. Local robotic surgery programs are now providing these services domestically, helping to retain foreign exchange and improve patient outcomes.