Nigerians spent at least \$29.29 billion on medical treatment abroad during the eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government. This means about \$3.6 billion was spent every year.
This information comes from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s reports, under a category called “Health-Related and Social Services.” The figures cover the period from June 2015 to May 2023 — the exact time Buhari was in power.
The data shows how much Nigeria depends on foreign healthcare. Even during times of economic hardship and dollar shortages, money was still being sent abroad for medical reasons.
It’s also surprising that despite the government’s promises to improve healthcare and stop people from going abroad, spending on foreign medical treatment remained high and even increased toward the end of Buhari’s presidency.
In Buhari’s first year in office, Nigerians spent the highest amount — \$7.81 billion — on medical tourism. Just in September 2015, \$3.2 billion was spent, the highest for any month during his eight years.
This large spending early on raises questions. It might have been due to delayed medical bills or a rush by wealthy people to seek treatment abroad as soon as the new government came in.
In the second year (June 2016 – May 2017), spending dropped to \$2.76 billion. Still, large amounts were spent in some months like March 2016 (\$960 million) and April 2016 (\$670 million).
In Buhari’s third year, spending dropped again to \$1.72 billion. By the fourth year (June 2018 – May 2019), the amount went down sharply to \$440 million — the lowest in all eight years.
Things changed in Buhari’s second term. In the fifth year (June 2019 – May 2020), Nigeria spent \$920 million on foreign medical care. In the sixth year, the amount rose to \$1.57 billion.
This rise happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when global travel was restricted. The data from that time shows reduced spending, likely due to travel bans, but suggests many were waiting to travel once restrictions ended.
Starting in June 2021, spending on medical tourism went up again. Between June 2021 and May 2022 (Buhari’s seventh year), Nigerians spent \$6.96 billion on health-related services abroad.
June 2021 alone saw \$3.02 billion spent — almost as high as the record in 2015. In April 2022, \$1.28 billion was spent, showing that wealthy Nigerians and officials resumed travelling abroad for healthcare.
In the eighth and final year of Buhari’s government (June 2022 – May 2023), Nigerians spent \$7.12 billion abroad — the second highest for any year. January 2023 alone saw \$2.3 billion in spending — the third highest monthly total during Buhari’s time.
This sharp increase meant that the second term, which started with lower spending, ended up costing more in medical tourism than the first.
Altogether, \$16.56 billion was spent on foreign healthcare in Buhari’s second term, compared to \$12.73 billion in his first. This shows that the reasons people go abroad — such as poor hospitals at home and a lack of trust in local care — were never solved and may have worsened.
Buhari was often criticized for going abroad for medical treatment. He travelled many times to the UK for health reasons, staying away from the country for long periods.
During his eight years in office, he spent about 225 days on medical trips outside Nigeria, visiting at least 40 countries. His first medical trip was in February 2016, just eight months after taking office.
His second trip was in June 2016, where he spent 10 days treating an ear infection. In January 2017, he left again and stayed in London for 50 days. Just two months later, in May, he went back for what became his longest medical trip — 104 days.
He didn’t return for medical reasons until May 2018, when he spent four days for a check-up. In March 2021, during a doctors’ strike in Nigeria, he travelled again to London for a 15-day “routine check-up.”
In March 2022, Buhari took another medical trip, staying in London for 12 days. On October 31, 2022, he flew again from Owerri to London for two weeks. He returned on November 13, 2022.
His spokesman, Femi Adesina, defended Buhari’s foreign medical visits, saying he had used the same medical team for 40 years. Adesina even claimed that if Buhari had tried to get treatment in Nigeria just to set an example, he might have died earlier.
In total, Buhari made 84 international trips to 40 different countries while in office.**Paragraph 24-25**Meanwhile, Nigerian medical groups, including the Nigerian Medical Association, have often criticized politicians for going abroad for healthcare while neglecting hospitals at home.
Dr Tope Osundara, head of the resident doctors’ union, called it shameful and a sign that leaders aren’t investing in the country’s own health system.
He said it’s like building a business, refusing to use your own product, and still expecting others to trust it. He pointed out that Buhari once said medical tourism should stop, but ended up doing it himself.
Former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar even said he and Buhari were treated at the same hospital in London — showing how bad Nigeria’s health system has become.
Prof Bala Audu, head of the Nigerian Medical Association, said people are free to choose where to get care. But he added that when top officials always go abroad despite health budgets at home, it shows that priorities are in the wrong place.
