A surgical procedure performed on a patient in Abuja has placed Nigeria among the growing number of countries exploring the possibilities of remote robotic medicine, after a specialist surgeon successfully operated on the patient from a separate location.
The operation, conducted on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja, was carried out through a collaboration involving Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV), RoboMed Global and Nisa Premier Hospital. It marked Nigeria’s first tele-robotic surgery and what the participating institutions described as the first telesurgery of its kind in West Africa.
At RHV, Prof. Obi Ekwenna-Davis, a Professor of Urology and Transplantation and Co-Founder of RoboMed Global, controlled a Toumai robotic surgical console to perform a right radical nephrectomy on the patient in real time. The procedure involved removing a kidney affected by a cancerous tumour.
Tele-robotic surgery allows surgeons to operate on patients from different physical locations using robotic instruments connected through specialised communication systems. Its application in Nigeria introduces a new possibility for delivering complex medical procedures without requiring patients to travel abroad or specialists to be physically present in the same operating theatre.
Speaking after the operation, Ekwenna-Davis said the procedure had demonstrated that telesurgery could be safely performed between different locations in Nigeria and across the world.
“Distance should never decide who receives safe surgery; this is what safe and trusted surgery looks like,” he said.
The operation lasted approximately three hours, with brief pauses to confirm that the equipment and supporting systems were functioning properly. The patient was in good condition and expected to be discharged within 24 hours, according to the surgeon.
Ekwenna-Davis described the collaboration as a significant achievement, noting that it marked the first time two hospitals in different parts of Nigeria had successfully worked together to provide surgical care through remote technology.
He said the next priority was to develop the expertise required to sustain the programme. A robotic academy is expected to be established to train surgeons and other medical professionals, with a target of producing at least 150 surgeons within the next two years.
The initiative, he disclosed, has the support of the Minister of Health and other government institutions. He also called for contributions from private organisations and non-governmental bodies to strengthen the programme.
For Dr Adedamola Dada, Chief Executive Officer of Redeemer’s Health Village, the operation demonstrated that Nigerians could access sophisticated medical treatment without leaving the country.
“What has happened today is a demonstration that Nigerians can access modern healthcare without travelling abroad,” Dada said.
RHV, he explained, was established to promote innovation and provide world-class healthcare services at affordable costs. The project, he added, was not primarily profit-driven but intended to demonstrate what modern medicine could offer Nigerians, in line with the vision of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
The hospital’s adoption of robotic surgery and telesurgery is aimed at reducing medical tourism and expanding access to complex procedures within Nigeria.
Dada acknowledged, however, that the technology comes with demanding operational requirements. Reliable connectivity, quality equipment and trained personnel are essential to safe remote surgery, while weather conditions could occasionally interfere with communication networks.
To address the skills gap, RHV is establishing a robotic academy in partnership with RoboMed Global. The facility will train doctors, surgeons, nurses, biomedical engineers and product specialists.
Dada urged the government to sponsor Nigerians interested in acquiring robotic surgery skills, recommending scholarships to accelerate the development of local expertise.
“My message to government is to support and sponsor Nigerians, the surgeons, the nurses, the biomedical engineers who would want to come and do this training here.
“They can award scholarships to them so that within two to three years, Nigeria will have a lot of professionals who are capable of performing robotic surgery,” he said.
The latest procedure builds on Nisa Premier Hospital’s involvement in robotic surgery. Its Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Dr Ibrahim Wada, disclosed that the facility had been a centre for robotic surgery in West Africa since November 2025.
Reflecting on the operation, Wada pointed to the value of cooperation among Nigerian medical institutions.
“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,” he said.
Dr Kunle Onakoya, Chairman of the Board of RHV, described the development as historic and urged those involved to recognise their contributions to the achievement.
Established by the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Redeemer’s Health Village is a faith-based, 300-bed multispecialty hospital.
Journalists at the facility watched the procedure live on television.
The achievement comes as Nigeria seeks to strengthen domestic healthcare capacity and reduce dependence on overseas treatment. Its lasting impact will depend on the expansion of infrastructure, professional training and the systems required to make robotic surgery available to more patients.
For now, the operation has demonstrated that advanced surgical expertise can be delivered across geographical boundaries through partnerships forged within Nigeria.
It is a development that places local medical institutions at the centre of a conversation once dominated by foreign hospitals: how technology can bring complex healthcare closer to home.
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