A technology expert and Chief Technology Officer of Goziri Health, Theophilus Ukuyoma, has urged Nigeria and its West African neighbours to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as a lifeline for their struggling healthcare systems.
Speaking at just concluded 2nd Parliamentary Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Ukuyoma said AI could radically transform disease surveillance, diagnosis, and service delivery across the region. His presentation was themed “AI Deployment in the Health Sector: Enhancing Disease Surveillance, Diagnosis, and Service Delivery.”
While acknowledging Nigeria’s progress in areas such as the eradication of polio in 2020, expansion of teaching hospitals, maternal and child health programmes, and the growing adoption of telemedicine, Ukuyoma stressed that these gains are overshadowed by deeper systemic problems.
He pointed to the country’s dire doctor-to-patient ratio of 1:5,000 — far below the World Health Organization’s recommended 1:600 — as evidence of a dangerous gap in care. Other challenges, he noted, include chronic underfunding, weak record-keeping systems, the mass exodus of health workers abroad, and sharp disparities in access between urban and rural areas.
“These failures are not just about healthcare, they are about productivity, national security, and the economy,” Ukuyoma warned, adding that medical tourism alone costs Nigeria more than $1 billion annually.
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He argued that adopting AI is no longer optional for countries serious about saving lives. Machine learning, he explained, could detect outbreaks faster than bureaucracies, reduce diagnostic errors, and extend services to underserved rural communities through AI-powered telemedicine.
Ukuyoma highlighted Goziri Health’s model as proof of what is already possible. The platform, which currently serves more than 20,000 active users, integrates patient apps, provider portals, and insurance tools — demonstrating how data and connectivity can help bypass decades of inefficiency.
However, he cautioned that technology cannot succeed without political will. He called on lawmakers to: Draft ethical and regulatory frameworks for AI in healthcare; Strengthen oversight to prevent abuse of AI systems; Harmonise adoption across ECOWAS to ensure equitable access.
“Nigeria, as the largest economy in ECOWAS, has the chance to set the pace,” Ukuyoma said. “AI in healthcare is about saving lives, protecting our economy, and securing our region. With the right policies and leadership, Nigeria can become a health-tech leader in Africa.”
