WHX Lagos 2026: Nigeria Targets 7.1% Healthcare Growth as Federal Government Unveils Infrastructure Roadmap
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has officially declared the World Health Expo (WHX) Lagos 2026 open, describing the platform as a vital “catalyst for healthcare transformation” across the West African sub-region.
Speaking at the Landmark Centre, the Minister highlighted a significant diagnostic gap where 85 to 99 per cent of medical equipment in West Africa is currently imported, leaving the region vulnerable to supply chain disruptions.
To combat this, he noted that the Federal Government has inaugurated a $1.2 billion Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) initiative to overhaul financing and infrastructure. “Our vision is for platforms like WHX Lagos to serve as a critical conduit for translating this investment ambition into tangible technology access,” Dr Salako stated.
Echoing the call for modernisation, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, emphasised that Lagos is moving toward “modernity” through aggressive healthcare financial reforms. He stressed the importance of the state’s insurance scheme to ensure citizens have a “safety guard” in their pockets. Professor Abayomi also challenged the “Japa” syndrome among professionals, asserting that those who stay will find Lagos is on the “cutting edge” of technology. “If you want to japa, you japa at your own risk,” he remarked, noting the state’s efforts to activate “brain gain” through such high-level exhibitions.
Adding a continental perspective, Professor Aliku Ahmed, the Special Representative for Africa CDC for West Africa, revealed a bold goal to ensure that 60 per cent of medical products used in Africa are produced locally by 2040. “We want Africans to buy from Africa,” he said, noting that harmonising regulations across 54 countries is key to this success. Daniel Green, the Exhibition Manager and Official Spokesperson for WHX, reinforced the event’s significance, stating that Nigeria remains one of Africa’s largest and fastest-growing markets with vast opportunities in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.
The exhibition floor showcased these opportunities, with companies like Pinecrest Healthcare Ltd presenting advanced solutions. Eunice, the Field Application Manager at Pinecrest, explained that they are representing global brands like Bio-Rad to provide quality assurance and innovative chemistry analysis tools to the Nigerian market.