Nigeria Records First Tele-Robotic Surgery as Surgeon in Ogun Remotely Removes Kidney Tumour From Patient in Abuja
Nigeria has recorded its first tele-robotic surgery, marking a major milestone in West Africa's medical sector, after a surgeon in Ogun State remotely removed a cancerous kidney tumour from a patient in Abuja using a robotic surgical system.
Nigeria Records First Tele-Robotic Surgery as Surgeon in Ogun Remotely Removes Kidney Tumour From Patient in Abuja
The procedure was performed on Saturday, September 19, 2026, by Redeemer's Health Village in collaboration with RoboMed Global and Nisa Premier Hospital.
Professor Obi Ekwenna-Davis, a professor of urology and transplantation and co-founder of RoboMed Global, operated the robotic system in real time from a Toumai console at RHV in Mowe, Ogun State, while the patient was at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja, about 500 kilometres away.
The operation, described as a telesurgery-assisted, robot-assisted right radical nephrectomy, involved the removal of a kidney affected by a cancerous tumour. The operation lasted about three hours, with brief pauses to ensure that the equipment and communication systems were functioning properly.
Ekwenna-Davis said the patient was in good condition after the operation 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," he said.
He noted that the procedure demonstrated that telesurgery could be performed safely between different parts of Nigeria and potentially across international borders. Dr Adedamola Dada, Chief Executive Officer of RHV, described the procedure as the first telesurgery in West Africa. "What has happened today is a demonstration that Nigerians can access modern healthcare without travelling abroad," he said.
He explained that the initiative was designed to demonstrate how modern healthcare technology could improve access to specialised treatment in Nigeria and help reduce medical tourism.
The operation used Starlink connectivity, with MTN providing backup connectivity, according to reports . Dr Ibrahim Wada, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Nisa Premier Hospital, said the Abuja facility 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 achievement builds on RHV's recent investment in robotic surgery, including its first robotic-assisted prostate cancer surgery earlier in September 2026 . Ekwenna-Davis said a robotic academy would be established to train surgeons and other medical professionals, with the aim of training at least 150 surgeons within two years.
He called for government support and sponsorship for Nigerian medical professionals interested in acquiring robotic surgery skills. "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," he said.
Source: TrendyBeatz
