Nigeria has recorded a major development in medical technology with the successful completion of what has been described as West Africa’s first tele-robotic surgery.
The complex kidney operation was carried out remotely in Abuja, on Saturday, through a partnership involving Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV), RoboMed Global and Nisa Premier Hospital.
The procedure involved a telesurgery-assisted robot-assisted right radical nephrectomy, in which a kidney affected by a cancerous tumour was surgically removed.
While the patient remained at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja, the surgical procedure was remotely controlled from a Toumai robotic surgery console at RHV.
Prof. Obi Ekwenna-Davis, a US-based professor of Urology and Transplantation and co-founder of RoboMed Global, led the remote operation.
Ekwenna-Davis said the successful procedure demonstrated the potential of telesurgery to connect specialist surgeons with patients in different locations without requiring the patients to travel.
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According to him, the operation lasted approximately three hours, with short pauses during the procedure to verify the functionality of the equipment and communication systems.
He said the patient was in good condition 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,” Ekwenna-Davis said.
He described the operation as the first successful collaboration between two hospitals in different parts of Nigeria to deliver surgical care through telesurgery.
Ekwenna-Davis stressed that sustained training would be essential to the long-term success of robotic surgery and telesurgery in Nigeria.
He announced plans to establish a robotic academy that would train at least 150 surgeons within two years.
According to him, the programme has received the support of the Minister of Health and other government institutions, while he called for additional backing from private organisations and non-governmental groups.
Chief Executive Officer of RHV, Dr. Adedamola Dada, also described the procedure as a landmark telesurgery achievement in West Africa.
Dada said the technology could help Nigerians access advanced medical procedures within the country and potentially reduce the need for medical tourism.
He, however, identified reliable internet connectivity, quality robotic equipment and adequately trained medical personnel as essential requirements for the successful expansion of remote surgery.
He disclosed that RHV, in partnership with RoboMed Global, was also establishing a robotic academy to train doctors, surgeons, nurses, biomedical engineers and product specialists.
Dada called on the government to consider scholarships and other forms of support for Nigerian medical professionals seeking specialised training in robotic surgery.
The Chief Executive Officer and founder of Nisa Premier Hospital, Dr. Ibrahim Wada, said the hospital had been involved in robotic surgery in West Africa since November 2025.
He said the latest procedure demonstrated how patients could receive specialised surgical expertise remotely while remaining in Abuja.
The Chairman of the RHV Board, Dr Kunle Onakoya, described the operation as a historic milestone for Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
RHV is a 300-bed multispecialty hospital established by the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Journalists at the facility were able to watch the procedure live on television as the remote surgery was conducted.
