As Nigeria’s national economy grapples with a staggering drain of medical tourism that now consumes an estimated $7 billion (N10.7 trillion) annually, a new economic firewall has been erected in the heart of Osun State. The commissioning of the Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital (MOFAMRTH) at Osun State University (UNIOSUN) marks the most significant private-sector intervention to date in the battle to rescue Nigeria’s medical sovereignty.
Data released in late 2025 by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and high-ranking academics suggests a sobering reality: the medical tourism drain currently consumes nearly 19.6 per cent of Nigeria’s total federal budget. This is not merely a healthcare crisis; it is a macroeconomic “haemorrhage” that diverts one-fifth of the nation’s potential fiscal power into foreign markets.
The Anatomy of a Crisis Historical data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) paints a grim picture of a decade-long disinvestment. Between 2010 and 2020, Nigerians spent a cumulative $11.01 billion on official healthcare services abroad.
When combined with foreign education, the total capital flight exceeded $39.66 billion—a sum nearly equivalent to the nation’s entire foreign reserves at peak periods.
Famfa Oil Limited, through its donors Mr. Modupe Folarin Alakija and Apostle Dr. Folorunso Alakija, has delivered MOFAMRTH as a direct strategic response to this disinvestment.
A Strategic “Import Substitution” for Health. The 250-bed world-class facility functions as an industrial-scale “import substitution” model. By providing the high-end diagnostic and surgical interventions that Nigerians currently fly to Delhi or London to receive, MOFAMRTH is positioned to retain billions in foreign exchange.
“The economic pathology is clear: we are exporting our wealth to buy health,” a Famfa Oil spokesperson stated during the commissioning.
“With national per-capita health spending currently sitting at a critical low of $7.80 per year, the government alone cannot bridge the gap. Famfa Oil is providing the infrastructure that allows Nigerian capital to stay in Nigeria, fueling a multiplier effect that will stimulate local medical manufacturing and logistics.”
The hospital’s 20 clinical departments are equipped to provide specialised services at a fraction of the cost of foreign travel. While a heart bypass in the United States can exceed $100,000, MOFAMRTH’s model aims to match the cost-effectiveness of Indian facilities, but without the additional “hidden” costs of international flights, visas (often $252 for medical purposes), and foreign accommodation for family members.
