Experts Advocate Public-Private Partnerships to Bridge Nigeria’s Healthcare Gap
LAGOS/Nigeria: Healthcare experts have emphasized the critical role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in addressing Nigeria’s healthcare challenges, particularly in rural areas, during a Twitter Space discussion hosted by Orodata Science on Tuesday.
The conversation, titled “Bridging the Healthcare Gap: Can PPPs Solve Nigeria’s Rural Health Crises?”, highlighted the potential of PPPs in improving access to quality healthcare amid the country’s worsening public health crisis.
Setting the tone, the moderator, Benedicta Elikor of Orodata Science, underscored the dire state of Nigeria’s healthcare sector, noting that the country has only 55,000 doctors serving a population of 220 million. She also cited the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak, which has recorded 563 confirmed cases and 103 deaths in 2025, spreading across 14 states, with Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi experiencing the highest burden.
“These challenges, coupled with meningitis outbreaks and malaria, highlight the urgent need for sustainable healthcare solutions,” Elikor said.
Speaking during the discussion, Prof. Lutz Mukke, Director of Institutional Partnership Africa at Lecturio, described PPPs as strategic collaborations between the government and private sector aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery. He noted that such partnerships can reduce healthcare costs by pooling resources, thereby making medical services more affordable and accessible.
“Nigeria has an abundance of natural and human resources, including skilled healthcare professionals. When effectively utilized, these assets can significantly improve healthcare delivery across the country,” Mukke stated.
On sustainability, he warned that many PPP projects have short life spans, making it crucial for the government to implement policies that ensure their continuity beyond initial agreements.
Dr. Rita Ajirenike, a health analyst with the Rivers State Hospital Board, stressed the importance of PPPs in attracting medical professionals to rural areas by providing well-structured housing and incentives. She noted that poor governance, misallocation of funds, and lack of accountability remain major obstacles to effective healthcare delivery in these regions.
“Private companies can play a vital role by offering logistics support, telemedicine technology, and capacity-building programs for healthcare workers. They can also provide state-of-the-art medical equipment, which enhances service delivery and improves patient care,” Ajirenike said.
Reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, she emphasized the need for workforce capacity building, integration of advanced technology, and standardized data collection to enhance healthcare preparedness.
The discussion, organized by Orodata Science, a non-governmental organization focused on improving data accessibility, reinforced the need for stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors to transform Nigeria’s healthcare system.
