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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the Nigerian government to implement concrete incentives and improved working conditions to curb the growing exodus of medical professionals from the country.

Speaking at a healthcare summit in Abuja on Monday, Obasanjo expressed deep concern over the worsening brain drain in Nigeria’s health sector, popularly referred to as “Japa” — a Yoruba slang for “to flee.” He warned that without urgent intervention, the country could soon face a crippling shortage of doctors and other healthcare workers.

“Our doctors are among the best-trained professionals in the world, but they are leaving in droves because the system here does not value or support them,” Obasanjo said. “We need to stop paying lip service and begin offering real incentives—adequate salaries, access to modern equipment, and conducive environments for professional growth.”

The former president also urged stakeholders to view the matter as a national emergency, noting that the mass migration of doctors has led to overstretched hospitals and declining access to quality healthcare for ordinary Nigerians.

Health experts at the event echoed Obasanjo’s sentiments, pointing out that over 5,000 Nigerian-trained doctors have relocated to the UK, Canada, and other countries in the past three years alone, citing poor remuneration and insecurity among the top reasons for leaving.

Obasanjo emphasized that policy reforms must go beyond rhetoric. “We cannot continue losing our brightest minds while other nations benefit from our failure to act,” he said.

In response, representatives from the Ministry of Health pledged to consider a new framework focused on retention, which may include hazard allowances, postgraduate training support, and improved hospital infrastructure.

The summit concluded with a consensus that reversing the brain drain requires a multi-sectoral approach involving the federal and state governments, private sector players, and international partners.