Napoleon Agbelogode
For years, Nigerian leaders have quietly opted for treatment in foreign hospitals. What may have started as individual choices has evolved into a political norm, with significant implications for governance and public trust in the nation’s health care system. Taking a glance at recent history reveals how this trend developed, how it became the norm, and why we need to confront it now.
The shift began under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. In November 2009, he traveled to Saudi Arabia for treatment of pericarditis and ended up being away for three months. The lack of transparency around his health sparked a constitutional crisis and made Nigerians realize just how much a president’s health could affect the stability of the nation.  Making It Normal
If Yar’Adua’s situation was the trigger, President Muhammadu Buhari’s time in office solidified the trend. In January 2017, Buhari spent almost 50 days in London on medical leave. He returned in May for a follow-up treatment that kept him away for another 104 days. By August 2021, he had racked up nearly 200 days in the UK for medical trips. Though these absences were publicly acknowledged, it became a norm for Nigeria’s leaders to seek health care abroad without much accountability.
In contrast, Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo didn’t take extended medical leave overseas during their administrations. Jonathan even pushed for a law in 2014 aimed at curbing medical tourism among public officials. Their leadership serves as a reminder that such a trend isn’t unavoidable.
Today, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been making regular foreign trips that are often labeled as working visits or annual leave. There’s speculation about his health, but the presidency has firmly denied that these trips are for medical reasons. While the official stance isn’t confirmed, the frequency of these travels keeps the conversation going and fuels public skepticism.
The Challenge
 Yar’Adua’s absence from 2009 to 2010 highlighted the governance risks associated with unclear presidential health. Buhari’s multiple trips to London between 2017 and 2021 helped establish this practice. And the Current Situation is that Tinubu’s journeys keep the controversy alive, though they aren’t officially labeled as medical leave.
Policy Considerations and Moving Forward
There is need to enforce clear disclosure of presidential health statuses and establish protocols for transferring power during lengthy absences. Also, the use of public funds for overseas treatment must be limited to only those conditions that can’t be treated locally. In addition, the country must allocate dedicated funding for tertiary hospitals and create incentives for retaining specialists and maintaining high-tech equipment.
We must encourage high-ranking officials to use Nigerian medical facilities in order to show faith in the system as well as release annual reports on overseas medical expenditures by public officials to highlight gaps and track progress.
In Summary
The issue of Nigerian presidents seeking medical care abroad goes beyond a personal health, it reflects our fractured health care system. Without intentional reforms—grounded in transparency, investment, and leading by example—the cycle is likely to persist. And as long as that happens, the trust in the country’s health institutions will remain shaky.
Napoleon Agbelogode writes from Lagos.
