Lagos requires 33,000 doctors to meet healthcare needs, says commissioner

The Lagos State Government has indicated that the state needs roughly 40,000 medical doctors to meet the health‑care needs of its fast‑growing population, yet the public health system currently employs only about 7,000 doctors.

This shortfall translates into a deficit of more than 33,000 physicians across Lagos’s health sector.

Health Commissioner Akin Abayomi disclosed these figures on Tuesday during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, which marked the seventh anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu’s administration.

Abayomi also highlighted a shortage of approximately 40,000 nurses and other health‑care staff required to strengthen service delivery in public hospitals.

He noted that the shortage is part of a broader global health‑workforce crisis affecting many nations.

“Nigeria has 40,000 doctors currently at a ratio of one doctor to 5,000 population. Nigeria needs 300,000 new doctors while Lagos requires 40,000 additional doctors. Currently, Lagos has 7,000. The gap for Lagos is 30,000 doctors and 40,000 nurses,” he said.

The commissioner added that, despite the challenge, Lagos is becoming increasingly attractive to medical professionals.

“For every doctor we have in Lagos, they are doing the job of ten,” he added.

Abayomi said the state government is implementing several initiatives aimed at curbing brain drain in the health sector and encouraging Nigerian doctors abroad to return.

According to him, these measures include reforms in health‑care financing, enhancements to staff welfare, and upgrades to the living and working conditions of health workers.

“To reduce the brain drain and facilitate brain gain, the Lagos State government is prioritising healthcare finance reform, improve the working conditions of health workers, improve the living conditions of health workers and facilitate the return of Nigerian doctors in diaspora,” he stated.

He revealed that accommodation projects for medical personnel are underway in several state‑owned hospitals.

Abayomi noted the recent completion of a 72‑unit housing facility for house officers at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), with similar projects at Odan, Gbagada and Ojo hospitals approaching completion.

He said future medical facilities will incorporate staff quarters situated close to hospitals to enhance convenience and welfare for health workers.

The commissioner also reported that LASUTH presently has about 120 medical specialists, while general hospitals across the state collectively employ around 250 specialists.