In a bid to stem the continued emigration of healthcare professionals, the Federal Government has commenced implementation of a targeted housing initiative for medical workers under its National Policy on Health Workforce Migration.
This policy, approved by President Bola Tinubu in August 2024, aims to improve the retention and welfare of healthcare personnel across Nigeria. The initiative includes the launch of the “Renewed Hope Medical City,” a flagship housing project that offers doctors, nurses, and other health professionals access to mortgage-based home ownership with extended repayment periods of up to 30 years.
Confirming the development, President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Prof. Bala Audu, said the housing scheme is part of a broader retention strategy to address the workforce crisis in the nation’s health sector.
“The government is responding proactively to the challenges of workforce shortages by providing tangible incentives. The medical city project is a significant step toward creating a stable environment for our health workers,” Audu said.
He noted that the new initiative is being implemented alongside other reforms such as periodic salary reviews, transport support, and expansion of training institutions to produce more healthcare professionals.
According to Audu, the impact of these reforms may take several years to fully materialize, but early action is vital to reverse the growing exodus, commonly referred to as the “Japa syndrome.”
The project is being jointly executed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa.
President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Tope Osundara, also confirmed ongoing work on a “residency village” under the same scheme, which will provide affordable accommodation for young doctors undergoing specialist training.
The policy outlines several other incentives, including support for healthcare workers in rural areas, improved access to car and housing loans, and collaboration between government bodies to ensure sustained investment in medical professionals’ welfare.
With healthcare migration identified as one of the sector’s biggest threats, stakeholders have welcomed the policy shift as a bold move toward long-term stability and improved service delivery.
