WorldStage– Nigeria has made medical history by successfully performing its first-ever tele-robotic surgery, spanning a distance of over 500 kilometres.
A specialist surgeon stationed in Mowe, Ogun State, operated in real time on a patient undergoing treatment in Abuja.
The landmark procedure, also recognized as a historic first for the West African sub-region was a complex robot-assisted right radical nephrectomy to remove a cancerous kidney tumor from the patient.
Speaking after the breakthrough, the Chief Executive Officer of RHV, Dr. Adedamola Dada, described the achievement as a monumental dawn for the country’s healthcare system.
“It is a huge breakthrough, and then of course, it is the first time telesurgery is done in West Africa,” Dada stated.
The three-hour surgery was achieved through a collaboration between Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV) in Ogun State, healthcare tech company RoboMed Global, and Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja.
Professor Obi Ekwenna-Davis, a renowned professor of urology and transplantation and co-founder of RoboMed Global, spearheaded the operation.
Seated at a high-tech Toumai robotic console at the RHV facility in Ogun State, Prof. Ekwenna-Davis precisely controlled the robotic arms located inside the theater at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja.
The ultra-low latency connection required for the delicate operation was sustained by high-speed satellite internet, utilizing Starlink with MTN serving as a backup network.
Prof. Ekwenna-Davis emphasized the social impact of the technological milestone, stating, “Distance should never decide who receives safe surgery; this is what safe and trusted surgery looks like.”
Tele-robotic technology is expected to bridge the medical gap in Nigeria, allowing specialized surgeons to treat patients in remote or underserved areas without requiring travel.
Medical reports indicate that the patient is stable and recovering exceptionally well.
The successful operation opens a new frontier for surgical innovation, positioning Nigeria at the forefront of advanced digital health infrastructure on the African continent.
