By Reportcircle Abuja
Nigeria has stepped onto the global health technology stage with renewed force, reaffirming its determination to accelerate digital transformation across the nation’s healthcare system.
This commitment was powerfully restated by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, while addressing international health-tech leaders at the 2025 HIMSS Eurasia HealthTech Conference & Exhibition in Belek–Antalya, Turkey.
Speaking before an influential audience of innovators, investors, policymakers, and development partners, Dr. Salako positioned Nigeria as a country fully prepared to leverage digital tools to reshape healthcare delivery aligning the effort squarely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambitious health sector reform agenda.
The Minister praised the Turkish Ministry of Health and the HIMSS Eurasia organizing committee for creating a global hub that connects pioneers shaping the next frontier of digital health.
He noted that the conference’s central themes digital hospitals, robotics, AI in health, genomics, data ecosystems, and next-generation health innovation mirror Nigeria’s transformative ambitions under the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
According to Dr. Salako, the global health landscape is shifting at high speed. Population growth, new disease patterns, rising health expectations, and demographic changes have made system-wide transformation not just desirable but imperative. Nigeria, he said, is fully embracing this reality.
He outlined the Federal Government’s reform strategy built on four core pillars:
• Stronger governance
• Better service delivery
• Unlocking the healthcare value chain
• Reinforcing national health security
At the heart of these pillars is digital health positioned as the backbone of a modern, efficient, and equitable health system.
Dr. Salako highlighted ongoing government investments in smart data systems, digital interoperability, and innovations aimed at closing access gaps for rural and underserved populations.
He emphasized that Nigeria is aggressively pursuing multi-sector partnerships, collaborating with private innovators, start-ups, and international partners to scale technologies that can improve efficiency and expand care.
One of the most significant initiatives currently underway is the Nigeria Digital in Health Initiative (NDHI), driving the development of the National Digital Health Architecture (NDHA), a unified blueprint designed to eliminate fragmentation and enforce technical and regulatory standards across all digital health solutions.
Supporting the blueprint are critical digital building blocks:
• A national Health Information Exchange
• Shared electronic health records
• National health registries to strengthen identity management, workforce planning, and care coordination
Describing the HIMSS Eurasia platform as a strategic springboard, Dr. Salako said the conference offers Nigeria opportunities to deepen global partnerships, secure investments, and identify scalable innovations that can strengthen the country’s digital health ecosystem.
He also lauded the strong presence of African nations at the event, affirming the continent’s collective ambition to bypass outdated systems and adopt cutting-edge solutions.
However, as the world increasingly leans on robotics, AI, and advanced analytics in healthcare, the Minister emphasized four non-negotiables: equity, affordability, contextual relevance, and national data sovereignty especially for developing countries navigating a rapidly digitizing world.
“Our world is connected, and so is our health,” Dr. Salako declared. “Through partnerships like this, we can build a healthier, more resilient, and more inclusive world.”
He expressed confidence that the conference would be engaging, enriching, and transformative for participants navigating the future of global health technology.
