Buhari’s Death Abroad Sparks Outrage Over Nigeria’s Billion-Dollar Medical Tourism Crisis

The recent death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in a high-end London hospital has reignited fierce debate about Nigeria’s failing healthcare system and the political elite’s reliance on foreign medical care. Nigerians and health experts are expressing outrage over the billions of dollars lost annually to medical tourism, with estimates ranging from $1.2 billion to nearly $4 billion each year during Buhari’s tenure. Critics argue that the political class’s preference for overseas treatment is a damning indictment of the country’s underfunded and neglected hospitals, which ordinary citizens must rely on. Calls are growing for urgent investment and reform to build world-class healthcare facilities at home and end the exodus of patients and funds abroad. The controversy has also sparked public disputes among former presidential aides and intensified demands for accountability and systemic change.