Nigeria has recorded what Nisa Premier Hospital described as the first tele-robotic surgery in Nigeria and West Africa, with a surgeon in Lagos remotely controlling a robotic system during an operation in Abuja.
The landmark kidney cancer procedure was performed at Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja, in partnership with RoboMed Global and The Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV) in Lagos.
Professor Obi Ekwenna-Davis remotely controlled the robotic surgical platform from RHV while the patient remained at Nisa Premier Hospital. The approximately three-hour procedure involved removing a kidney affected by a cancerous tumour. Nisa Premier Hospital said the patient was discharged after the successful operation. The hospital did not disclose further details about the patient’s condition or identity for privacy reasons.
Speaking at an event marking the milestone, Nisa Premier Hospital CEO Dr Ibrahim Wada said tele-robotic surgery could help connect patients with specialist surgical expertise regardless of their location. The procedure used a MicroPort robotic surgical platform installed at Nisa Premier Hospital. Wada said the technology could reduce the need for Nigerians to travel abroad for specialised medical treatment, potentially cutting expenses related to international travel, accommodation and medical care.
He also said the system could allow Nigerian patients to benefit from specialists based in other parts of the country or overseas without requiring those doctors to travel physically.
“This exemplifies one of the positive areas of diaspora and home collaboration,” Wada said.
Beyond patient access, Wada said tele-robotic surgery could support the training of Nigerian doctors and strengthen local capacity in robotic surgery. It could also create opportunities for international specialists to work with medical teams in Nigeria.
Procedure Depends on Strong and Stable Communication Networks
Wada said robotic surgery can offer smaller surgical incisions and potentially shorter recovery periods than conventional open procedures. He further stated that outcomes depend on the type of operation and the individual patient. He, however, stressed that patient safety must remain central to telesurgery. The procedure depends on stable and secure communication networks, making contingency plans essential.
“Machinery can go wrong. Connections can cease. So we always make sure there is a team on the ground that can do the needful and take over the robot locally, if necessary,” he said.
The first procedure also exposed some of the technical challenges involved. Wada said the operation experienced a delay caused by connectivity problems before the technical team established the required connection.
He said the experience highlighted the need for further testing, stronger telecommunications infrastructure and continuous technical improvements. This must be sorted out before tele-robotic surgery can be deployed more widely.
