- PPP currently fund 25% of Nigeria’s telemedicine initiatives and collaboration among all stakeholders, namely governments, the corporate sector, NGOs, and academia to invest in infrastructure, skills, and policy is required for scaling telemedicine adoption
The report frames telemedicine as the most viable solution to Nigeria’s endemic healthcare challenges, particularly the severe urban-rural disparity in access. It covers the current state, benefits, challenges, and future prospects of leveraging digital technology for remote healthcare delivery. The author defined telemedicine as “medical care using digital technologies like video chats, mobile applications, and systems that allow you to see your doctor from a distance.” Put differently, the use of digital technologies to deliver medical care remotely, making it easier for people in impoverished areas worldwide to access medical treatment. Its scope includes virtual consultations, remote diagnostics (e.g., using digital stethoscopes), health education, chronic illness management, and mental health assistance.
The abysmal state of Nigeria’s healthcare system where healthcare financing is grossly inadequate with spending approximately 4% of GDP, paucity of medical personnel at a ratio of one doctor per 2,500 patients (e.g. only 500 cardiologists for over 200 million people with many waiting to migrate), the unequal resource allocation resulting in overcrowded city hospitals, coupled with the fact that over 50% of Nigerians reside in the rural areas, with 75% of these rural population living in poverty and lacking basic medical facilities such that patients travel considerable distances, often exceeding 100 kilometres, to access basic healthcare services has created a compelling need for telemedicine. Additionally, more than 60% of healthcare services provided nationally are offered by private hospitals at a cost hardly affordable to low-income families, with more than 60% of the Nigerian population relying on the services of these private hospitals. More so,the high maternal death rate at 20% globally and 512 per 100,000 live births nationally owing to poor services further compounds the situation.
Conversely, telemedicine directly addresses a plethora of issues around healthcare delivery ranging from the management of chronic illnesses and emergency care, to tackling the urban-rural healthcare disparity by connecting patients with clinicians via virtual platforms, significantly reducing the need for long-distance travel for basic medical treatment, lowering patient expenses as many Nigerians cannot pay out-of-pocket medical expenditures, as well as enhancing medical education by allowing doctors to exchange knowledge and receive training via digital platforms, which helps address the scarcity of experts.
Furthermore, the report observed that telemedicine decreases hospital wait times by 40% in Nigeria and saves patients 40% of hospital visits in pilot communities, thereby easing the burden on overcrowded conventional hospitals and enhancing time efficiency in healthcare delivery. It has also improved non-communicable diseases (NCD) management, the cause of 29% mortality, particularly the menace of high blood pressure prevalent among 30% of the country’s population, cutting 30% of patients’ medical expenses through remote monitoring and e-prescriptions saving 25% medical prices. Similarly, through virtual therapy, over 7 million Nigerians requiring mental health services have been provided easier access, mitigating stigma. Telemedicine platforms like MyMedicalBank offer virtual therapy reaching 20% of urban mental health patients daily.
However, widespread poverty (over 60% of Nigerians live below the poverty line) and its attendant problem of unaffordability (telemedicine consultations cost an average of 5,000 naira), as many cannot pay for consultations or devices, limited insurance coverage as Nigeria’s health insurance covers less than 10% of citizens (private plans cover only 5% of telemedicine consultations), poor road networks (hindering distribution of telemedicine equipment), language barriers (that alienates the non-English speaking people, especially in rural regions as the majority of telemedicine apps are available only in English despite over 500 indigenous languages),low digital literacy levels estimated at 28% in rural regions in contrast to 65% living in cities coupled with low user trust among 60% of the rural patients whodo not believe in virtual care – in fact, only 10% of Nigerians use wearable devices despite their effectiveness in chronic disease monitoring – pose significant impediments to widespread telemedicine adoption.
Also, the massive brain drain of 20% of Nigeria’s tech workforce yearly, together with 5,000 doctors a year (with over 19,000 doctors estimated to have left in the past 20 years) and lack of a comprehensive regulatory framework for telemedicine, pose a significant data breach risk to 60% of users create deficiencies for the sector. The Medical and Dental Practitioners Act 2004, The Code of Medical Ethics 2004, and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 do not explicitly and adequately address the digital and ethical complexities around telemedicine, thus are outmoded for current telemedicine platforms. The report posits that “the lax cybersecurity infrastructure in Nigeria creates a suspicion towards the security of digital health platforms” (pp. 42).
Additionally, unstable power supply (as Nigeria produces just 4,000 megawatts for its over 200 million population, 60% of who reside in the rural regions worse hit by frequent power outages)and unreliable internet access (with only 20% of rural locations and 43% nation-wide having effective internet connectivity and internet access for more than 122 million Nigerians is unreliable in most areas) both of which impose high operational costs on telemedicine platforms pose significant obstacle to the growth of telemedicine services in Nigeria. According to the report:
Lack of proper telecommunications infrastructure also limits the scalability of telemedicine since rural regions do not have a good network coverage…mobile penetration in Nigeria is high in urban regions, however, it is limited in remote areas. Telemedicine systems depend on consistent networks to conduct real-time communication between patients and doctors…only 40 percent of Nigerians possess smartphones, and this decreases in rural regions because of the cost of getting one (pp.40).
Notwithstanding, the fast-increasing rate of mobile phone users with 88 percent penetration as 4 out of 10 Nigerians use smartphones vis-à-vis the expanding mobile and social media penetration with over 200 million active mobile lines, 84% of Nigerians owning mobile phones and over 40% of Nigerians having internet connection present a great prospect for telemedicine adoption with the right investments. Nigeria now boasts of 122 million internet users and over 60% of healthcare providers now integrate telemedicine driven by rising internet penetration. PPPs account for about 25% of Nigeria’s telemedicine initiatives and deliver about 70% of healthcare services creating fertile ground for innovation.
The report avers that the future of telemedicine in Nigeria goes beyond patient treatment to professional growth and healthcare system integration. Telemedicine supports continuous medical education for Nigerian healthcare workers. Doctors can now interact across geographies, exchange knowledge, and get training using digital platforms, boosting service quality. Though very limited progress has been made in training healthcare providers in the use of digital health technologies so as to curb the phobia for telemedicine among medical personnel. The fact that only 30% of Nigerian doctors are trained in telemedicine while only 28% of rural Nigerians are digitally literatedoes not augur well for platform integration and scalability. It is even more appalling taking into consideration the fact that only 35% of telemedicine providers in Nigeria are properly licensedand only about 20 active health-tech startups are operating in the telemedicine space.
The report further posits that government assistance is necessary for telemedicine to grow and solve Nigeria’s healthcare concerns sustainably. It makes a strong case for public-private partnerships (noting that PPPs currently fund 25% of Nigeria’s telemedicine initiatives), the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy, increased healthcare funding beyond the 2025 health budget that allocated only 5% to digital health initiatives. It further argues that non-governmental organisations and philanthropists have a significant part to play in promoting telemedicine for underprivileged people in Nigeria. Investing in local technology enterprises can generate employment, boost economic development, and improve health outcomes. Additionally, academic institutions, namely universities and medical schools possess a unique potential to enhance telemedicine in Nigeria through incorporating telemedicine into their curricula and conducting research that can provide data to inform policy; currently only 15% of Nigerian health research focuses on digital solutions.
The report makes a case for the integration of telemedicine with Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme to expand coverage for millions daily. The scheme currently covers less than 10% of Nigerians, limiting access to affordable care. There is also an urgent need to address the funding gaps. Shortage of funding has been identified as one of the critical barriers since only 5% of the health budget on digital initiatives is available in 2025. Healthcare receives only 4 per cent of the national GDP, which is far lower than the recommended 15% by the World Health Organisation. It is projected that by 2035, the telemedicine will have covered 50% of urban Nigerians and 20% of the rural populace and prenatal virtual care would decrease maternal mortality by 20%.
The digital health market in Nigeria is projected to generate ₦185.66 billion in revenue before the end of 2026. Public-private partnerships will fund 25% of the initiatives that will focus on 5G networks covering 15% of the urban areas by 2030. Remote monitoring will be implemented exponentially to reduce healthcare costs by 30% and also 30% reduction in the population affected by non-communicable diseases will be achieved.However, the report warns that without immediate, significant infrastructure investments by 2035, telemedicine will only cover 50% of urban Nigerians and a minimal 20% of rural Nigerians. The future will be driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and mobile technologies, such as AI-driven diagnostics that enhance accuracy and accessibility and 30 percent of platforms can use machine learning to manage chronic diseases. Utilizing the Nigerian diaspora will help fill expertise gaps via remote services, but stakeholders must invest in infrastructure, skills, and policy to address the devastating challenges and enable sustainable development across Nigeria’s diverse communities.
The future of telemedicine in Nigeria hinges on addressing existing challenges and capitalising on forthcoming opportunities wisely.
In the light of these, the report recommends the provision of cheap devices to increase access to digital health for rural patients, subsidies for internet and power to lower expenses for platforms, awareness campaigns and initiatives to foster trust in the use of telemedicine platforms, scholarships for students in digital health and related fields to encourage innovation locally. Others are, multilingual interfaces that support local languages on telemedicine platforms to broaden access and interraction for the rural populace, building of medical centers that provide digital services reinforced with strong encryptions and firewalls to boast user confience, broadened training programs by telemedicine platforms, integrating insurance into telemedicine, clear regulations to ensure informed consent for virtual care and secure patient data and dedicated telemedicine licensing regime.
Telemedicine: a significant catalyst for economic diversification and human capital development in Nigeria
Telemedicine integration is stimulating new job creation and fostering technological innovation within the healthcare sector. Nigeria hosts over 12 active telemedicine startups as of 2025 that employ over 5,000 Nigerians in tech roles addressing unemployment and fostering economic growth. Companies like CloudClinic and Afrihealth are building platforms tailored to Nigeria’s specific healthcare needs and filling gaps in established healthcare systems. Similarly, others like MyMedicalBank and CloudClinic currently offering virtual consultations, employ Nigerian doctors and connect them with global experts for knowledge sharing. MyMedicalBank provide health education for rural patients andengages pharmacies to ensure prescriptions reach patients quickly and affordably in rural regions thereby creating massive jobs in the pharmaceutical sector and boosting community health outcomes. Clafiya, another leading telemedicine platform that raised $610,000 in 2023, provides training on chronic disease management for rural doctors and employs part-time doctors for rural consultations, addressing physician shortages while enhancing labor capacity and professional development. Similarly, the platform CloudClinic has engineered massive partnerships with healthcare providers across Nigeria’s rural regions, strengthening its grassroots reach while effectively addressing urban congestion and rural access gaps. CribMD connects patients with doctors available for flexible virtual consultations and Mobihealth, another telemedicine service provider engages cardiologists on daily basis linking them with rural patients via low-bandwidth video conversations enhancing healthcare access and equity across Nigeria’s regions.
Furthermore, Doctoora, a telemedicine platform that enables virtual consultations and in-person concierge care for patients, engages specialists and general practitioners connecting them with patients through daily video calls and messaging via their hotlines. Doctoora’s partnerships with rural clinics to provide virtual specialist consultations have also broadened its contribution to economic diversification and human capital development, greatly strengthening Nigeria’s primary healthcare system. Helium Health, known for partnering with clinics indigitising patient care and assisting healthcare providers in managing electronic health records, have contributed significantly to enhancing labour capacity nationwide. Helium Health’s partnerships with international universities enhance training for Nigerian doctors and its data systems support the Ministry of Health in tracking diseases, strengthening Nigeria’s ongoing effort at medical education for healthcare workers and by extension supports response to public health crises.
MDaaS Global, a platform that focuses on chronic disease management engages specialists in urban centers to provide services to rural patients via video consultations daily, effectively addressing Nigeria’s specialist shortage. Mediverse on the other hand focuses on mental health and engages specialist in mental health for referrals to the burgeoning number of mental health patients across the country. Subscription to Mediverse’s services have grown exponentially over the years pointing to the increasing demand for mental health services in Nigeria. Also, Grandville Medical & Laser telemedicine integration which has broadened employment opportunities have effectively addressed Nigeria’s doctor shortage. Overall, these platforms are providing income for professionals while serving underserved communities and contributing growth of the economy. Suffice it to say that this job creation supports Nigeria’s digital economy and reduces unemployment significantly. Telemedicine supports ongoing medical education for Nigerian healthcare workersenhancing labour capacity.
Reduced patient spending and simplified healthcare delivery
Telemedicine cuts patient spending by 30% and e-prescriptions save 25% on medical prices in Nigeria. It also decreases indirect expenses like missed pay from taking time off work for hospital visits.Hitherto, many Nigerians lose money while going vast distances for medical treatment routinely, however with virtual consultations patients obtain treatment without leaving their homes or offices.This has made healthcare relatively affordable and accessible to low-income communities. Also, telemedicine systems expedite consultations, enabling clinicians to visit more patients in less time.Thus, hospital wait times have decreased by 40% in Nigeriaas remote diagnostics using telemedicine eliminate the need for expensive in-person testing and hospital visits. Technologies such as digital stethoscopes and mobile imaging equipment enable real-time data exchange for accurate diagnostics. Digital innovations like mobile imaging equipment help clinicians to identify illnesses remotely, just as telemedicine platforms enhances medical training and collaboration among healthcare experts. Mobile applications also provide information on nutrition, maternal health, and disease prevention to both rural and urban populations. More than 30% of Nigerian adults suffering from hypertension and diabetes obtain frequent monitoring using wearable devices and mobile applications, breaking down the hitherto existing barriers in non-communicable diseases (NCD) management. Telemedicine holds enormous potential in enhancing national health efforts, such as immunisation drives and emergency treatment in remote areas by offering remote consultations and monitoring. This has been made far more realistic with the application of artificial intelligence improving diagnostic and treatment accuracy.
Telemedicine presence in major African metropolitan centers driven by technological diffusion
Telemedicine adoption across Africa’s urban centers like Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg is driven by the growing mobile and internet penetration. Mobile health apps expand telemedicine access as 88% of Nigerians own mobile phones daily and over 40% of urban Nigerians use health apps for telemedicine services regularly, and these apps bridge access gaps, especially in major cities. Today, smartwatches that monitor vital signs supporting remote patient management, and wearable devices that track heart rate and glucose levels, aiding doctors in real-time monitoring of track chronic conditions are almost ubiquitous. Wearable technologies represent an emerging market and significantly enhance telemedicine outcomes. In major Nigerian cities like Lagos and Abuja a larger percentage of the populace use devices for consultations, reducing hospital visits and wait times in facilities. Similarly, about 50% of Nairobi’s population accesses telemedicinevia mobile apps daily. Nairobi’s strong internet infrastructure also supports reliable virtual consultations with platforms like Daktari Africa for urban dwellers and this improves health outcomes in Kenya’s capital daily. South Africa leads African telemedicine adoption courtesy of Johannesburg’s advanced digital infrastructure that supports platforms like Mediclinic that offer virtual consultations, ensuring seamless service delivery daily that reach an average population of the city effectively. In Cairo, Egypt telemedicine adoption is addressing healthcare access gaps at an unprecedented scale as Cairo’s platforms like Vezeeta offer Arabic interfaces, increasing accessibility for local populations daily. Similarly, in Accra, Ghana, telemedicine expansion with platforms like Zipline is largely due to its growing internet infrastructure that supports virtual care, reducing hospital visits daily. Hence, rapid strategic adoption of telemedicine across key African urban centers will continue in a tremendous way in the face of the increasing digital transformation and proliferation of telemedicine technologies.
