By Benson Daniel
The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority has highlighted the growing impact of its healthcare investments, saying interventions in oncology and medical diagnostics have helped strengthen local healthcare capacity while reducing the need for Nigerians to seek treatment abroad.
The Authority’s healthcare strategy is anchored on the deployment of long term capital into infrastructure and services that can deliver both financial sustainability and measurable national benefits.
A major component of the strategy has been the establishment of NSIA Advanced Medical Services Limited, known as MedServe, as the Authority’s wholly owned healthcare subsidiary.
Through MedServe, NSIA has developed specialist facilities focused largely on oncology and diagnostics, areas that have historically faced significant infrastructure and capacity gaps in Nigeria.
One of the flagship projects is the MedServe LUTH Cancer Centre in Lagos, commissioned in 2019. The centre became the first oncology facility in Nigeria to offer 3D Conformal Radiotherapy and now houses the largest concentration of radiotherapy equipment in West Africa.
Since its establishment, the centre has delivered more than 25,000 radiotherapy sessions and 10,000 chemotherapy treatments to approximately 15,000 patients.
The facility also played an important role during the COVID 19 pandemic when restrictions on international travel made overseas medical treatment difficult for many Nigerians. Its continued operation provided patients with access to advanced cancer treatment within the country.
NSIA said the quality and affordability of treatment provided through the centre have also contributed to cases of reversed medical tourism, with some Nigerians referred back to the facility by overseas providers.
Treatment costs at the centre are often less than half of comparable services abroad, according to the Authority.
The financial impact has been significant. NSIA estimates that its healthcare interventions have prevented more than $200 million in foreign exchange outflows that would otherwise have been spent on overseas medical treatment and related expenses.
The Authority has also expanded diagnostic services beyond Lagos through the MedServe Kano Diagnostic Centre and MedServe Umuahia Diagnostic Centre.
By December 2025, more than 410,000 patients had received pathology and radiology diagnostic services through the two centres, improving access to tests that can support earlier detection and treatment.
Beyond physical infrastructure, NSIA has adopted an ecosystem approach aimed at developing the expertise required to sustain advanced healthcare services locally.
MedServe has focused on building a pipeline of oncology professionals, strengthening clinical research and trial capacity and establishing relationships with leading international medical institutions.
The subsidiary has partnered with institutions including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the University of Maryland Medical Center and Bio Ventures for Global Health.
It has also participated in two global cancer trials focused on prostate and breast cancer, creating opportunities for Nigerian healthcare professionals and patients to become part of international research programmes.
The next phase of the strategy will involve a broader national expansion across 13 states.
NSIA plans to develop 13 additional diagnostic centres, three more oncology centres and three cardiac catheterisation laboratories as it introduces cardiology as a new service line.
The expansion is expected to increase access to specialised healthcare services in different parts of the country and reduce the concentration of advanced treatment facilities in a few major cities.
To support the expansion, MedServe has established long term partnerships with global equipment manufacturers Siemens and GE. The arrangements cover equipment supply, maintenance, training and bulk procurement.
NSIA has also secured up to $24.3 million in blended financing from the International Finance Corporation and the International Development Association to support the healthcare expansion.
The financing structure is designed to lower the cost of capital and improve the affordability of healthcare services while attracting further investment into the sector.
The Authority said commissioning of the new centres was scheduled to begin from mid 2026 as part of its broader effort to build a more resilient healthcare system.
For NSIA, the objective goes beyond constructing hospitals and purchasing medical equipment. The investment programme is aimed at building a healthcare ecosystem that combines infrastructure, skilled professionals, research, technology and international partnerships.
With medical tourism continuing to place pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange resources, the expansion of specialist healthcare capacity could provide an alternative by allowing more patients to access complex treatment within the country.
NSIA’s healthcare programme therefore represents an attempt to shift the country’s healthcare narrative from dependence on overseas treatment towards locally available, sustainable and internationally competitive medical services.
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