Nigeria Performs West Africa’s First Tele-Robotic Surgery

Nigeria has recorded what health officials described as West Africa’s first tele-robotic surgery after surgeons remotely removed a cancerous kidney tumour from a patient in Abuja.The procedure was performed on Saturday through a collaboration between Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV), RoboMed Global and Nisa Premier Hospital.

The surgery, a telesurgery-assisted robot-assisted right radical nephrectomy, involved the removal of a kidney affected by a cancerous tumour.

The patient was at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja, while the surgeon operated remotely from a Toumai robotic surgery console at RHV.

Prof. Obi Ekwenna-Davis, Professor of Urology and Transplantation and co-founder of RoboMed Global, led the procedure.

Tele-robotic surgery enables surgeons to perform operations remotely using robotic systems and telecommunications technology.

Speaking after the operation, Ekwenna-Davis said the procedure demonstrated that telesurgery could be safely used to provide specialised surgical care to patients regardless of their location.

“Distance should never decide who receives safe surgery; this is what safe and trusted surgery looks like,” he said.

The US-based surgeon said the patient was in good condition and was expected to be discharged within 24 hours. He added that the operation lasted about three hours, with brief pauses to confirm that the equipment and communication systems were functioning properly.

Ekwenna-Davis said the procedure also marked the first successful collaboration between two hospitals in different parts of Nigeria to deliver surgical care through telesurgery.

He said continuous training would be crucial to the long-term success of robotic surgery in Nigeria, announcing plans for a robotic academy that would train surgeons and other healthcare professionals, with a target of at least 150 surgeons within two years.

The CEO of RHV, Dr Adedamola Dada, said the procedure demonstrated that Nigerians could access advanced medical treatment without travelling abroad.

“What has happened today is a demonstration that Nigerians can access modern healthcare without travelling abroad,” Dada said.

He said robotic and tele-robotic surgery could help reduce medical tourism by making complex procedures available locally, while stressing that reliable internet connectivity, quality equipment and skilled personnel were essential to the success of remote surgery.

Dada also called on the government to support medical professionals seeking training in robotic surgery, including through scholarships.

Meanwhile, the CEO and founder of Nisa Premier Hospital, Dr Ibrahim Wada, said the hospital had been a centre for robotic surgery in West Africa since November 2025.

“Today, our patient received specialist surgical expertise from across the country without leaving Abuja. This is what becomes possible when Nigerian institutions decide to build together,” Wada said.

The initiative includes plans for a robotic academy to train doctors, surgeons, nurses, biomedical engineers and other specialists.

RHV, a faith-based 300-bed multispecialty hospital established by the Redeemed Christian Church of God, said the initiative is aimed at expanding access to advanced healthcare and reducing the need for Nigerians to seek complex medical procedures abroad.

Journalists at RHV watched the remote procedure live on television.