For Nwaru Munachimso, leaving Nigeria was not an easy choice. As a trained nurse, she had always hoped to contribute to the country’s healthcare system. However, the realities of low wages, excessive workloads, and a lack of essential benefits compelled her to seek opportunities abroad.
“I left for better opportunities,” she said. “I love my country, but I had to think about my future. Maybe one day, I’ll return when the healthcare system improves, but for now, I need to be where my work is valued, and I can thrive,” she told Nairametrics.
Now a registered nurse in both the United Kingdom and the United States, Munachimso earns £20 (over N30,000) per hour working under the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).
“In Nigeria, nurses earn an average of N100,000 to N190,000 a month. I can make that in just a week or two here,” she explained.
Beyond financial benefits, she highlighted differences in working conditions. “The NHS takes patient care seriously—one nurse to one patient,” she said. “Back home, it’s different. One nurse is expected to cater to multiple patients at once, and it’s exhausting.”
She also enjoys access to benefits that were unavailable in Nigeria. “The NHS provides insurance and other welfare packages. It makes a huge difference,” she added.
“Every Day, I Worried About Making It Home Alive” – A Doctor’s Perspective
By the time Dr. N (who requested anonymity) finally decided to leave Nigeria, most of her colleagues had already emigrated—some as early as five years ago. She had held on, hoping conditions would improve. Instead, she watched as the situation deteriorated.
“In the end, it was mostly about security,” she said. “Not just for me, but for my family.”
As a general practitioner, Dr. N had spent years working within Nigeria’s underfunded healthcare system amid a worsening economy. However, her greatest concern was safety—both hers and her husband’s.
“I worked in Ituku,” she recalled. “You know how long it takes to get there from Enugu. A lot of terrible things happen on that road. Every morning when I left for work, I wasn’t sure if I’d come back in one piece. Same with my husband. That kind of uncertainty wears you down.”
Beyond security concerns, economic instability also played a role in her decision.
“For almost five years, my salary remained the same,” she explained. “But prices kept going up. Inflation made life unbearable. The standard of living was nothing like what we had five years ago. Instead of improving, things were getting worse. The country was sinking—fast.”
Concerned about raising her children in such conditions, she decided to leave. Now practicing in the UK, she has no regrets.
“Would I return? Not at the moment,” she said. “But if, in the future, things improve—especially security—then maybe. But for now, no.”
“I Was Overworked, Underpaid, and Burnt Out” – A Senior Psychiatrist Speaks
For over a decade, Dr. R (not his real name) dedicated his career to mental healthcare in Nigeria. As a senior psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, he witnessed a surge in cases of depression, addiction, and psychosis, exacerbated by poverty and social neglect.
Despite enduring funding cuts, outdated facilities, and excessive workloads, it was financial instability that ultimately drove him away.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” he admitted. “I had built my career in Nigeria, trained younger doctors, and was deeply involved in the mental health community. But I also had a family to care for, and my salary couldn’t keep up with inflation. The financial strain became unbearable.”
Despite being a senior consultant, his salary after deductions hovered around N500,000. “In Australia, I make that in a few days,” he said. “It’s not just about money, though. It’s about dignity—being valued for my work.”
Dr. R described the overwhelming workload he faced at Yaba.
“We had cases where one psychiatrist was attending to 20, sometimes 40, patients in a week. That’s dangerous. In developed countries, you can’t handle more than a handful at a time,” he explained. “You can’t give quality care when you’re overstretched.”
Nigeria’s mental health services remain grossly inadequate. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least one psychiatrist per 10,000 people, yet Nigeria has fewer than 300 psychiatrists for a population exceeding 200 million.
“Some days, we ran out of basic medications,” Dr. R recalled. “Imagine telling a schizophrenic patient’s family that there’s no drug supply and they should find it themselves at ridiculous black-market prices.”
Now working in Australia, Dr. R benefits from structured work hours, modern treatment facilities, and significantly better compensation.
“I can finally focus on my patients without worrying about my survival,” he said. “I have work-life balance, professional growth opportunities, and most importantly, peace of mind.”
Would he ever consider returning? He was clear in his response.
“How can I go back to a system that still struggles with basic things? If Nigeria’s healthcare system improves tremendously—better wages, better infrastructure, better policies—maybe I’d consider short-term projects. But full-time? No.”
The Bigger Picture: Nigeria’s Healthcare Exodus
Munachimso, Dr. N, and Dr. R’s stories reflect a growing trend of Nigerian healthcare professionals seeking better opportunities abroad. This wave of migration, often referred to as the ‘Japa’ syndrome, has had a profound impact on the country’s healthcare sector.
According to the UK’s General Medical Council, at least 12,198 Nigerian doctors are currently practicing in the UK, with many more in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and beyond. Between 2019 and 2024, Nigeria lost approximately 15,000 to 16,000 doctors due to brain drain, according to Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
With a population of over 220 million, Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio is just one doctor per 10,000 people—far below the WHO’s recommended ratio of one doctor per 600 people. Despite having around 70,000 registered doctors as of 2023, the country still faces a severe shortage of medical professionals.
The WHO has placed Nigeria on its Health Workforce Support and Safeguard List 2023, recognizing it as one of 55 countries experiencing a critical shortage of healthcare workers.
The Consequences of Brain Drain
“The consequences of Japa are profound. Those who remain face overwhelming workloads, often working in underfunded facilities with obsolete equipment,” said Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, CEO of Nordica Fertility Centre.
“There is a vicious cycle. The healthcare crisis extends beyond emigration numbers,” Ajayi noted. “Many professionals who remain are operating with a ‘one leg in, one leg out’ mentality, preparing to leave. This mindset lowers morale and further deteriorates healthcare delivery.”
Dr. Debo Odulana, CEO of Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja, highlighted another consequence of brain drain—recruitment challenges.
“For every two people leaving, a few more attempt to return, but the overall effect remains a significant challenge,” he said. “The cost of recruitment has skyrocketed. Hospitals spend more on staffing, training, and retraining, only to lose professionals within a year.”
He also noted that unlike in the past, brain drain now affects even senior doctors. However, he sees a potential benefit: “Many returning professionals bring back valuable experience from abroad. In the long run, this could be beneficial.”
For now, however, Nigeria’s healthcare system continues to grapple with an exodus that shows no signs of slowing down.
