The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a firm response to remarks made by Pastor Poju Oyemade, who recently claimed that doctors in Nigeria are trained on just N500,000 throughout their education.
In a statement released by the association, NARD criticised the pastor’s assertion, describing it as a misrepresentation of the actual cost and challenges involved in medical training in Nigeria.
Referencing a 2021 peer-reviewed study by Osoba et al. published in the Pan African Medical Journal, the association clarified that the true cost of training a doctor in Nigeria ranges between $21,000 and $51,000 — covering tuition, accommodation, feeding, and other essential expenses.
NARD highlighted the stark disparity between the investment in medical education and doctors’ earnings.
According to the association, most Nigerian doctors earn an average of N250,000 (approximately $170) monthly, compared to U.S. doctors who spend around $275,000 on their training but earn upwards of $16,000 (₦24 million) monthly.
They also pointed out the high cost of obtaining U.S. medical licenses for Nigerian doctors — a process that can exceed $10,000 and is often funded by the candidates’ families.
Dismissing any notion that Nigerian doctors are unappreciative, NARD emphasised their resilience and dedication despite working in a struggling healthcare system that most Nigerians rely on due to the unaffordability of medical tourism.
“It’s easy for pastors with access to tithes and offerings to seek treatment abroad, but the average church member is left to depend on a broken system,” the association stated.
NARD called on Pastor Oyemade to use his platform to champion meaningful reforms in the healthcare sector, rather than spreading misinformation.
The statement closed by urging religious leaders to remain focused on spiritual guidance — prayer, fasting, and biblical teaching — rather than commenting on areas outside their expertise.
