Nigerian healthcare professionals have successfully performed the West African sub-region’s first-ever tele-robotic surgery.
The pioneer operation, a robot-assisted right radical nephrectomy performed to extract a cancerous kidney tumor, was executed on a patient lying in an operating theater in Abuja. Meanwhile, the lead surgeon controlled the robotic instruments in real time from a master console in Mowe, Ogun State, roughly 500 kilometers away.
The historic procedure was carried out through a trilateral partnership involving Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV) in Ogun State, medical technology provider RoboMed Global, and Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja.
The operation utilized the advanced Toumai robotic surgical console situated at Redeemer’s Health Village. Operating the master unit was Professor Obi Ekwenna-Davis, a US-based Professor of Urology and Transplantation and Co-Founder of RoboMed Global.
Hundreds of kilometers away at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja, a bedside surgical team managed the patient and monitored the slave-robotic arms that mirrored Professor Ekwenna-Davis’s hand movements instantly over a high-speed telecommunications connection.
The complex operation lasted approximately three hours. The surgical team incorporated brief, deliberate pauses throughout the procedure to cross-check telemetry, data transmission stability, and mechanical synchronization between the two distant sites.
Journalists and medical observers gathered at Redeemer's Health Village watched the procedure live via a real-time broadcast feed. Medical directors confirmed that the patient tolerated the procedure exceptionally well, sustained minimal blood loss, and was expected to be discharged within 24 hours.
"Distance should never decide who receives safe surgery; this is what safe and trusted surgery looks like," Professor Ekwenna-Davis said following the operation. "The procedure we did was a telesurgery procedure where we were able to operate on a patient in Abuja, 500 kilometers away. This is just the beginning. It is a test, a pilot, of how innovation and technology can really expand access to specialized care."
Medical leaders involved in the breakthrough addressed common misconceptions about robotic healthcare, clarifying the essential human element involved in the process. Dr. Kunle Onakoya, Chairman of the Board of Directors at RHV and an orthopedic surgeon, emphasized that robotic systems do not act autonomously.
"The robot is still being controlled by a human being, by a very experienced and senior surgeon," Dr. Onakoya explained. "It is just that the skills of that surgeon are now being magnified many times over by the robot, enabling finer, more precise movements while reducing blood loss, complications, and recovery times."
Every year, thousands of West Africans travel overseas for complex surgical procedures, driving significant capital out of local economies. Hospital leaders framed Saturday's achievement as a pivotal step toward reversing outbound medical tourism and encouraging diaspora professionals to contribute remotely.
Dr. Adedamola Dada, Chief Executive Officer of RHV, noted that the successful operation proves that West Africans can access world-class, cutting-edge healthcare without leaving their home country. He added that the technology allows medical specialists in the diaspora to lend their clinical expertise directly to local operating rooms without having to relocate permanently.
Echoing these thoughts, Dr. Ibrahim Wada, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Nisa Premier Hospital which has served as a center for robotic surgery since late 2025 stressed the power of institutional collaboration.
"Today, our patient received specialist surgical expertise from across the country without leaving Abuja," Dr. Wada said. "This is what becomes possible when Nigerian institutions decide to build together."
Despite the victory, experts acknowledged that rolling out tele-robotic surgery on a broader scale presents real-world logistical hurdles. Sustained implementation will depend heavily on robust national infrastructure, including uninterrupted power grids, low-latency broadband networks, and safeguards against network disruptions caused by adverse weather.
To ensure long-term sustainability and build local technical capacity, RHV and RoboMed Global announced plans to establish a Robotic Surgery Academy. The academy aims to train over 150 Nigerian surgeons, nurses, biomedical engineers, and product specialists within the next two years.
Healthcare stakeholders called on the Federal Government and private sector organizations to support the academy through scholarships and technology grants, positioning Nigeria as the premier hub for medical innovation in West Africa.