Telemedicine in Nigeria: how a video doctor's call works and what it can and cannot do

What is telemedicine, and who oversees it in Nigeria?

The World Health Organization describes telemedicine as the delivery of health care services over distance, and says it has the potential to improve clinical management and extend coverage of services.

Doctors in Nigeria are regulated by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). Its Code of Medical Ethics, in the 2004 edition, describes telemedicine as medicine requested and practised at a distance, and tells doctors to watch for pitfalls in confidentiality, professional competence, the registration status of any specialist consulted, equipment reliability, continuity of care and timely referral.

The same code says doctors must keep personal information secure when it is stored or sent electronically, and warns that information sent by email over the internet may be intercepted.

In November 2025 the deputy health minister said the Federal Ministry of Health was finalising guidelines and governance frameworks for telemedicine, and named infrastructure deficits, limited digital literacy, data privacy concerns and regulatory gaps as challenges. The Nigeria Digital in Health Initiative, launched in March 2024, is the ministry's programme for joining up digital health services.

What can a video call handle, and what needs a visit?

Guidance from the UK's Royal College of Nursing, adapting a General Medical Council triage algorithm, says a remote consultation suits straightforward follow-up or assessment where records are available and the clinician can prescribe or arrange follow-up. It says to consider seeing the person face to face when symptoms are complex, records are not available, the person cannot understand or consent, a physical examination or an injection is needed, or the home environment needs assessing.

The NHS gives strokes, heart attacks and serious road traffic accidents as examples of life-threatening emergencies, which need emergency services rather than a booked call. NEMSAS lists 112 as Nigeria's central emergency medical number, with 767 also listed for Lagos, in an August 2026 update.

Can a doctor prescribe medicines over a video call in Nigeria?

Yes, within limits: Nigeria's Electronic Pharmacy Regulations 2026, unveiled in April 2026 to replace the 2021 online pharmacy rules, recognise telemedicine-generated and scanned prescriptions.

Under the regulations, prescription-only medicines may be dispensed only after checking a valid prescription from a healthcare practitioner licensed in Nigeria. Prescriptions are valid for six months and must include the prescriber's Nigerian physical address, contact details, registration number and signature, according to reports of the regulations.

Online sales of prescription-only medicines are limited to the quantities on the prescription, refills must follow the prescriber's instructions, and controlled medicines under the Dangerous Drugs Act cannot be sold online. Every online pharmacy and aggregator must appoint a licensed superintendent pharmacist.

What happens to a parent's health information?

Under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, health status is sensitive personal data, which section 30 allows to be processed only on grounds such as the person's consent, protecting their vital interests, or medical care by a professional who owes a duty of confidentiality.

Section 34 gives a person the right to a copy of their personal data in a commonly used electronic format, and to have inaccurate or out-of-date data corrected or deleted. The Act also gives the right to complain to the Nigeria Data Protection Commission.

What does the research say about telemedicine in Nigeria?

A 2025 scoping review of telemedicine for dementia care, which included 23 studies, seven of them from Nigeria, found video consultations reduced caregivers' travel stress but were limited in rural areas by poor connectivity.

The review also reported that the cost of devices, platforms and mobile data was a barrier, and that many older adults and carers in rural areas are not fluent in English, the language of most platforms.

How do you prepare a parent for a video doctor's call?

Remote consultation guidance favours calls where the clinician has the person's records and the information needed to treat them to hand. Kinship doctor calls, by video or audio and usually within minutes, are available anywhere in Nigeria, alongside check-ins.

• Charge the phone and check the data or Wi-Fi signal
• Choose a quiet, well-lit room with some privacy
• Write down the main symptoms and when they started
• Have the list of current medicines and doses to hand
• Have recent test results, letters and the blood pressure log ready
• Agree who will join the call and translate if needed
• Ask the doctor for their full name and MDCN registration number
• Ask what to do, and who to call, if things get worse
• Save 112, and 767 in Lagos, in the phone

Questions people ask

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