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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 June 2025
Introduction
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It has boundaries with the Republic of Niger in the northwest and the Republic of Chad in the northeast. The Republic of Cameroon is located to the east of Nigeria. While the Republic of Benin is located in the west of Nigeria. The Atlantic Ocean is located in the southern part of Nigeria. The population of Nigeria is estimated to be 223.8 million in 2023, while the gross domestic product (GDP) was US$1.115 trillion in the same year (World Bank Indicator 2023; World Economics 2023).
This chapter examines the perception of the healthcare system's effectiveness in Nigeria by citizens and residents of the country. It specifically researched the positive and negative benefits that citizens are deriving from the current healthcare system. It argues that the Nigerian government needs to adopt more pragmatic healthcare policies that could be effectively implemented. The chapter uses quantitative and qualitative data derived from a questionnaire survey administered to 3,202 Nigerian citizens and residents including professional medical staff at federal state and local government levels in the country. Interviews of 600 citizens, officials of public and private sectors as well as foreign NGO stakeholders were conducted. The secondary data consisted of the review of related government reports, government websites, and academic and professional journals. Data were analyzed to determine the impacts of perception and challenges facing the healthcare system administration in Nigeria. The conceptual framework is based on strategic doing, benchmarking, stewardship leadership theory, and an integrated healthcare system model. Recommendations were provided on how to reform and galvanize the healthcare system in Nigeria in the future.
Health Challenges in Nigeria
According to Asakitikpi (2019), Balogun (2022), and Sotunde et al. (2020), the health system in Nigeria health system has been confronted with many challenges over the past decade. The health system has been characterized having deteriorating medical infrastructure, inadequate control of the circulation of fake drugs, massive engagement of the elite medical tourism, lack of enough funding, corruption, poor working condition, poor supply chain of medicine to health facilities, poor compensation of physicians and nurses, and mass emigration of skilled healthcare workers to foreign countries (Aljazeera 2020; Balogun 2022; Oloribe et al. 2018; International Trade Administration 2023).
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