WHX Lagos 2026 Opens with Bold Push for Healthcare Transformation, Local Manufacturing and Investment Growth
The 2026 edition of the World Health Expo (WHX) Lagos, formerly known as Medic West Africa, has officially opened in Lagos, positioning itself as West Africa’s foremost platform for healthcare innovation, medical trade, and policy advancement.
Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Isiaq Adekunle Salako, declared the event open, welcoming more than 8,000 healthcare professionals and 500 exhibitors from 40 countries.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr. Salako described WHX Lagos as a strategic catalyst for healthcare transformation across West Africa, noting that the platform has evolved from a trade exhibition into a key driver of policy development, innovation, and healthcare investment.
He highlighted the region’s heavy dependence on imported medical equipment and diagnostics, revealing that between 85 and 99 percent of such products are sourced from outside West Africa. To address this challenge, he outlined the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen local production through initiatives such as the Presidential Initiative to Unlock Healthcare Value Chains (PVAC) and the Presidential Executive Order for the Pharmaceutical and Allied Sectors.
According to the minister, the government is also implementing a $1.2 billion Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) programme aimed at overhauling healthcare financing, workforce development, and infrastructure. He added that the Federal Government allocated ₦402 billion for healthcare infrastructure development in the 2025 fiscal year.
Dr. Salako further disclosed that a partnership with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority is driving the establishment of oncology and nuclear medicine centres in six tertiary hospitals, alongside 22 modern diagnostic centres, seven cardiac catheterisation laboratories, and expanded radiology and pathology services nationwide.
With Nigeria’s healthcare industry projected to grow by 7.1 percent and reach a value of $161.7 million by 2027, while the wider West African healthcare market exceeds $11 billion, the minister called on investors, innovators, and global healthcare stakeholders to seize emerging opportunities.
“Nigeria is open for healthcare investment. We want platforms like WHX Lagos to accelerate access to advanced technologies and improve patient outcomes across the country,” he said.
Industry leaders at the event echoed the need for stronger collaboration and sustainable financing.
Chief Executive Officer of EHA Clinics, Dr. Ifunanya Ilodibe, emphasized the importance of bringing policymakers, clinicians, and investors together to address fragmentation within the healthcare system.
Similarly, President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria and Country Director of PharmAccess, Njide Ndili, stressed the need to unlock financing for healthcare businesses seeking long-term growth.
She noted that improving access to capital, strengthening local manufacturing, and developing products tailored to the Nigerian market remain critical to achieving healthcare sovereignty.
On the state level, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, outlined Lagos’ vision for healthcare sustainability, identifying affordability and maintenance as key pillars.
He highlighted the implementation of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act in Lagos State, which mandates health insurance coverage for all residents and strengthens financial protection across all socioeconomic groups.
Prof. Abayomi also stressed the importance of generating reliable local data to support the effective deployment of Artificial Intelligence in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Aliko Ahmed, Special Regional Representative of the Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Western Regional Coordinating Centre, urged African leaders to leverage lessons from the Ebola and COVID-19 pandemics to build stronger and more resilient healthcare systems.
He called for trade policies aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area framework and emphasized the importance of building trust in locally manufactured healthcare products across the continent.
The three-day WHX Lagos 2026 conference features accredited medical forums, cutting-edge technology exhibitions, and high-level networking sessions aimed at translating billions of dollars in public and private investment into improved healthcare access and outcomes across Nigeria and West Africa.