Home » MEDICAL TOURISM NEWS » Nigeria’s Medical Tourism Collapses With A Jaw-Dropping Ninety-Six Percent Fall In 2025 Exposing The Shocking Impact Of Economic Pressures And Policy Change
Published on
January 4, 2026
Nigeria’s medical tourism sector has experienced a dramatic collapse, with spending falling by ninety-six percent in 2025 compared to the previous year. This sharp decline highlights the significant impact of economic pressures, including tightening foreign exchange conditions and the rising costs of overseas medical care. Additionally, changes in domestic healthcare policies and a greater reliance on local services have shifted travel patterns, leaving many Nigerians opting to stay within the country for treatment. This trend reflects broader challenges in the global healthcare landscape, as financial constraints and policy adjustments continue to shape the way Nigerians access medical services abroad.
Nigeria’s medical tourism spending has witnessed a dramatic decline, with expenditure dropping by 96.2% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. This shift is highlighted in a report from the Central Bank of Nigeria, which examined spending trends from January to June of both years.
The first half of 2024 saw a notable outlay in medical tourism, totaling $2.38 million. This was primarily driven by a significant increase in January, where spending hit $2.30 million. However, the rest of the year showed a marked decrease. February saw a sharp fall to zero spending, followed by minimal figures for the subsequent months: March recorded $0.01 million, April remained at $0.00 million, May saw a slight increase to $0.05 million, and June rounded off with $0.02 million.
In contrast, medical tourism spending during the first half of 2025 was drastically lower, amounting to just $0.09 million. January 2025 registered $0.06 million, while February and March reported no expenditure at all. A slight uptick to $0.01 million occurred in April, but it dropped back to zero in May. Spending rose slightly to $0.02 million in June.
When comparing the two periods, the difference is striking. The $2.29 million drop between the first halves of 2024 and 2025 represents a staggering 96.2% reduction in medical tourism spending year-on-year. This highlights a sharp shift in how Nigerians are spending on healthcare abroad, with the unusually high spike in January 2024 not being replicated in 2025.
The numbers for 2025 remained consistently low, with no month exceeding $0.06 million in spending, a stark contrast to the $2.30 million peak recorded in January 2024. This ongoing decline suggests a significant change in the patterns of medical travel, which could be attributed to several factors, such as tightening foreign exchange conditions, increased reliance on local healthcare services, or economic and policy changes affecting spending on overseas medical treatments.
Overall, the reduction in medical tourism spending from $2.38 million in the first half of 2024 to just $0.09 million in the same period in 2025 reflects a pronounced slowdown in Nigerians’ overseas healthcare expenditures. This decline mirrors broader trends that indicate reduced foreign currency availability, rising costs, and a growing focus on domestic healthcare options.
In response to these challenges, the Central Bank of Nigeria launched a new Foreign Exchange Code in January 2025, aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the foreign exchange market. The code builds on the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System introduced in December 2024, setting clear and enforceable standards for ethical conduct and governance in the FX market. The new measures are expected to address issues that have previously undermined the integrity of Nigeria’s foreign exchange system, potentially stabilizing the market and impacting related sectors, including medical tourism.
