By Folasade Akpan
Strolling right into a typical main healthcare centre in Nigeria, one is commonly confronted by overworked well being employees juggling lengthy queues, restricted diagnostic instruments and incomplete affected person data.
Against this, in better-equipped amenities, digital platforms powered by Synthetic Intelligence (AI) can already analyse signs, flag high-risk instances and assist medical choices inside seconds.
This stark disparity captures Nigeria’s evolving relationship with AI in healthcare; an area marked by excessive expectations, but in addition deep issues about readiness, regulation and public belief.
Well being consultants say AI has moved past the realm of distant innovation to develop into a sensible device for healthcare supply in Nigeria.
Its relevance is rising because the nation faces an overstretched workforce, a rising illness burden and mounting strain to realize Common Well being Protection (UHC).
In current months, initiatives such because the launch of AI-enabled healthcare platforms and renewed coverage conversations have introduced the talk into sharper focus.
Whereas proponents argue that AI might assist Nigeria overcome long-standing structural weaknesses, critics warn that weak knowledge techniques, poor infrastructure and regulatory gaps could restrict its influence, and even trigger hurt.
Talking in Abuja on the inauguration of the Koyo Navigate App, an AI-enabled healthcare service platform, the Speaker of the Home of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, described AI as a possible equaliser in a well being system marked by inequality.
“AI-driven providers aren’t simply technological upgrades; they’re pathways to higher well being outcomes, dignity and independence,” Abbas mentioned.
He famous that globally, AI had proved efficient in accelerating diagnostics, supporting early intervention and enabling extra personalised care.
Past political endorsements, well being know-how consultants say AI is already reworking healthcare supply worldwide, providing classes Nigeria might adapt to its personal context.
On the Afrihealth Conferences and Exhibitions in Abuja, Dr Kunle Kakanfo, founding father of Synthetic Intelligence for Social Influence Improvement (AI4SID), mentioned Nigeria should harness AI to strengthen its fragile well being system.
“We’re seeing AI utilized in medical choice assist, with chatbots serving to individuals determine fundamental signs and supporting healthcare employees to find out which situations require pressing consideration,” Kakanfo mentioned.
Based on him, AI can also be facilitating task-shifting, predictive illness surveillance and extra environment friendly useful resource planning.
“Given the inefficiencies inside our healthcare system, AI can function a leapfrog innovation to fast-track effectivity,” he added.
For others, the enchantment of AI lies primarily in its capability to stretch Nigeria’s restricted human assets.
Mr Abdulhamid Yahaya, Deputy Director for World Well being Informatics at eHealth Africa, mentioned Nigeria’s low doctor-to-patient ratio made know-how indispensable.
“Nigeria is severely overburdened. Group well being employees function with restricted instruments and assets, but the affected person load is among the many highest,” he mentioned.
“So how do you scale? Use AI know-how. It lets you take a easy, efficient use case and replicate it hundreds, thousands and thousands of occasions”.
Equally, Dr Francis Ohanyido, Director-Common of the West African Institute of Public Well being, outlined AI as a transformative know-how that might redefine work and healthcare supply if correctly understood and managed.
“AI is not going to take individuals’s jobs; those that refuse to adapt will lose theirs, AI is right here to remain and have to be seen as a accomplice, not a menace, “Ohanyido warned.
He added {that a} rising AI ecosystem might develop into a serious driver of financial restoration and expertise retention if harnessed via innovation, partnerships and sound regulatory frameworks.
“The African AI business might generate between 13 and 18 billion {dollars} by 2030.
“If applied nicely, Nigeria may lead this progress, appeal to funding and curb healthcare workforce migration”.
Albeit this optimism, issues stay substantial.
On the international degree, the World Well being Organisation (WHO) has warned that though the usage of AI in healthcare is accelerating, authorized and moral safeguards are lagging behind.
In a report titled `Synthetic Intelligence Is Reshaping Well being Methods: State of Readiness throughout the WHO European Area’, the organisation famous that AI is already serving to docs detect illnesses earlier, cut back administrative burdens and enhance affected person communication.
Nevertheless, it cautioned that weak regulation might widen inequities fairly than shut them.
“Whereas the know-how is reshaping how care is delivered, knowledge interpreted and assets allotted, with out clear methods, knowledge privateness protections, authorized guardrails and funding in AI literacy, we danger deepening inequities,” mentioned Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
The WHO noticed that though many nations recognise AI’s transformative potential, just a few have developed devoted nationwide methods, with authorized uncertainty and monetary constraints remaining main limitations to adoption.
These issues resonate domestically.
Dr Kemisola Agbaoye, Director of Programmes at Nigeria Well being Watch, mentioned Nigeria nonetheless faces main gaps in knowledge high quality, infrastructure, expertise and public belief.
“Information is foundational. You can’t construct a sensible AI healthcare system with out dependable knowledge,” she mentioned.
She additionally pointed to belief deficits on the neighborhood degree.
“When communities are informed that healthcare employees will depend on AI instruments, an excessive amount of trust-building is required”.
However, she acknowledged gradual progress.
“There’s a lot taking place. Are we prepared for AI in healthcare? Not but; however we’re transferring in that path,” she mentioned.
In response, the Federal Authorities says steps are being taken to handle these challenges.
Dr Leke Ojewale, Senior Technical Adviser to the Coordinating Minister of Well being and Social Welfare on Digital Well being, mentioned the Nigerian Digital Well being Structure (NDHA) is being developed to make sure AI instruments function inside a unified and safe system.
“We’re constructing the NDHA to make sure that all AI instruments in well being plug right into a single, interoperable framework,” Ojewale mentioned.
He defined that the structure could be anchored on nationwide registries and a Well being Info Alternate to assist safe knowledge sharing and accountable AI deployment.
On the legislative entrance, the Nationwide Meeting has additionally pledged assist for digital well being innovation.
The Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, mentioned lawmakers have been dedicated to advancing laws that helps telemedicine, digital well being data and the usage of AI for prognosis and surveillance.
“We are going to advance laws that helps digital innovation, telemedicine, digital data and AI-driven prognosis and surveillance,” he mentioned.
“We should construct a digital spine that connects each main well being centre to each tertiary hospital, making certain continuity of care, transparency and accountability”.
He burdened that innovation was not elective.
“We can not construct a Twenty first-century nation with Nineteenth-century instruments. Innovation shouldn’t be an adjunct; it’s our lifeline”.
Even so, consultants agree on a vital caveat; AI should complement and never substitute human judgement.
Aligning with this view, the Nigeria Medical Affiliation (NMA), Kwara Chapter, mentioned the usage of AI in drugs ought to improve human intelligence fairly than substitute it.
The chapter’s chairman, Prof. Abdulrahman Afolabi, mentioned no algorithm might replicate the compassion, ethical reasoning and belief that outline the physician-patient relationship.
“Physicians have to be energetic individuals in shaping this transformation, not passive observers.
“We should be sure that know-how serves humanity, not the opposite method round,” he mentioned.
With out know-how, analysts warn, Nigeria could wrestle to fulfill its UHC targets. With it, the nation has a chance to enhance diagnostics, surveillance and entry to care at scale.
For now, the dialog continues, balancing optimism with warning.
Policymakers, well being employees and residents are weighing how finest to harness synthetic intelligence to strengthen healthcare supply whereas defending sufferers, knowledge and public belief. (NANFeatures)
