Japa Syndrome: Resident doctors warn of worsening exodus

..as Nigeria loses nearly half its workforce in a decade

By Ogalah Ibrahim

KATSINA — Nigeria’s resident doctors have sounded the alarm over the escalating migration of medical professionals abroad, warning that the “Japa Syndrome” is leaving hospitals across the country critically understaffed.

Speaking at the opening of their 45th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Katsina on Tuesday, the doctors revealed that the number of resident doctors has plummeted from about 15,000 in 2014 to roughly 8,000 in 2025.

Incoming President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, attributed the mass exodus to poor remuneration, insecurity, and limited career growth opportunities.

He urged both federal and state governments to implement concrete retention strategies, stressing that the sustainability of Nigeria’s healthcare system is now under severe threat.

The conference, themed “Mitigating Health Worker Migration through Extra-Remuneration Incentives: A Strategy for Sustainable Development,” drew hundreds of medical professionals from across the country.

While Governor Dikko Radda highlighted reforms in Katsina’s health sector—including primary healthcare upgrades and renewable energy solutions—resident doctors maintained that broader, nationwide interventions were urgently needed.

Nigeria currently ranks among the worst globally in terms of doctor-patient ratio. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the country has only about 24 doctors per 100,000 people, far below the recommended minimum of 100.

Experts warn that if the brain drain continues unchecked, healthcare delivery will further deteriorate, especially in rural areas already plagued by poor access to facilities and medical personnel.

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