Nigeria Breaks New Ground As Imo Establishes Africa's First Robotic Surgery Academy
Nigeria Breaks New Ground As Imo Establishes Africa’s First Robotic Surgery Academy
Imo State University and the Imo Robotic Centre have established Africa's first dedicated robotic surgery academy, aiming to train 500 surgical professionals within two years. The initiative addresses the shortage of specialized expertise in Nigeria, reduces dependence on overseas treatment, and brings advanced surgical procedures closer to patients. The academy will focus on training complete surgical teams rather than just individual surgeons, covering various disciplines beyond urology. The Imo Robotic Centre, which has already performed its first surgery in August 2026, is complementing the academy's efforts by providing a local facility for advanced robotic surgical interventions. Plans are also underway to establish an oncology centre and a medical institute to further strengthen specialized healthcare delivery.
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experience in robotic surgery and specialist medical practice in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He is clinical lead for urology in North Wales at Glan Clwyd Hospital, UK, and has developed specialist prostate services. He said his team had performed more than 145 robotic procedures through the programme he developed, describing the figure as the highest recorded by a comparable programme in Africa. His professional
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dy operational The academy’s establishment is being complemented by the Imo Robotic Centre, developed in partnership with the Imo State Government under Governor Hope Uzodimma. According to Ekwueme, the centre performed its first surgery in August 2026 and has since undertaken multiple robotic procedures, with patients already benefiting from the technology. He described the facility as the first of its kind to provi
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experience in robotic surgery and specialist medical practice in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He is clinical lead for urology in North Wales at Glan Clwyd Hospital, UK, and has developed specialist prostate services. He said his team had performed more than 145 robotic procedures through the programme he developed, describing the figure as the highest recorded by a comparable programme in Africa. His professional
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g advanced surgical training and strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to deliver specialised medical care. The academy, described by its promoters as the first of its kind in Africa, is targeting the training of 500 surgeons and other surgical professionals within two years, including more than 250 Nigerian surgeons. The initiative is expected to address the shortage of specialised surgical expertise, reduce dependence o
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l stays in appropriately selected patients. Ekwueme also disclosed that his team had performed what he described as the first gynaecological robotic surgery in West Africa through its programme at the prostate clinic, adding that the patient was discharged on the same day. However, he stressed that the benefits of the technology depend on surgical proficiency, reinforcing the need for structured training before hospi
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Source：Surgical robotics — News discovery · independent.ng