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West Africa’s healthcare investment momentum builds as WHX returns to Nigeria
Nigeria’s healthcare sector is undergoing rapid transformation, with forecasts predicting a 7.1% expansion and an anticipated market value of US$161.7 million by 2027.
This growth is fuelled by a US$1.2 billion Federal Ministry investment in infrastructure and workforce, major oncology and diagnostic expansions by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, and increased imports under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Despite progress, 70% of patients continue to pay out-of-pocket, underscoring substantial opportunities for private sector innovation and investment.
Statista data shows Nigeria leads West Africa’s medical device sector, with the market projected to surge from US$414.8 million in 2025 to US$632.48 million by 2030 (8.56% CAGR). High-growth peers Ivory Coast (9.24% CAGR), Cameroon (9.3% CAGR), Senegal (8.21% CAGR), and Ghana (6.6% CAGR) are also experiencing hospital modernisation, digital diagnostics expansion, and progress toward universal health coverage.
Nigeria is building more accessible, affordable, and high-quality healthcare systems through strategic investment, technology, regulatory reform, and an emphasis on preventive care.
However, It is important to recognise that Nigeria’s large and youthful population, projected by the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development to reach 250 million by 2025, has widened gaps in both primary and specialist care.
At the same time, the government’s encouragement of investment has opened opportunities for growth at every level of healthcare service provision.
For healthcare professionals and business leaders, World Health Expo (WHX) in Lagos is West Africa’s premier B2B platform for turning market potential into partnerships and impact. Returning to the Landmark Centre from 2 – 4 June 2026, WHX unites more than 500 exhibitors, over 8,000 professional visitors from more than 40 countries and 30 speakers to discover new insights and explore emerging trends, network with top healthcare innovators, source new business opportunities and accelerate professional growth.
“As partners with WHX, we are excited to drive market access dialogue that aligns with national health goals and promotes regional trade,” notes Njide Ndili, President, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria.
“Leadership lies at the heart of healthcare transformation. The shift from care to capability is key to the long-term success of healthcare institutions, with leadership development at its core. But to truly transform healthcare in Nigeria and across Africa, these efforts need to be scaled and replicated across all levels of the system and WHX is designed to make that possible by connecting stakeholders, surfacing best‑practice models, and supporting the practical deployment of proven solutions.”
This year’s three-day agenda positions WHX as a dynamic trade-focused platform with concise, partner-led Leadership Forums.
The Healthcare Market Access & Policy Leadership Forum on 2 June, in partnership with the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, spotlights market access and policy leadership through keynotes, panels, and Q&A sessions on regulatory harmonisation and AfCFTA opportunities under the theme “Enabling Market-Ready Health Systems:
The Role of Diagnostics, Digital Infrastructure, and Human Capital”. The Hospital Investment & Buyer Leadership Forum, held in collaboration with ABCHealth on 3 June, highlights investment and strategic partnerships for hospitals and buyers, covering financing and procurement. Meanwhile, the Heads of Laboratory Forum on 4 June, held in partnership with the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, serves as a dedicated platform for lab leaders and decision-makers to address key priorities in advancing diagnostics across West African region.
“WHX is more than dialogue: it is where policy ambition becomes impactful collaboration, accelerating West Africa’s emergence as a healthcare leader under the African Continental Free Trade Area,” said Tom Coleman, Portfolio Director – Healthcare, Informa Markets.
“With Nigeria’s young population approaching 250 million and dynamic neighbouring markets like Ghana, WHX stands at the epicentre for investors and visionaries to drive transformative growth in infrastructure, technology, and healthcare services in West Africa.”
This landmark event brings together top exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge medical solutions, alongside world-renowned speakers who share insights that matter, creating opportunities for market expansion and strategic partnerships.
Sectors represented at the exhibition include medical devices and equipment, disposables and consumer goods, orthopaedics & physiotherapy, imaging & diagnostics, healthcare & general services, healthcare infrastructure, wellness & prevention, laboratory as well as IT & solutions.
New features at WHX include an integrated Lab Zone, showcasing diagnostics, equipment, and consumables with live demonstrations, a networking lounge for business connections, as well as hands-on workshops, expert insights and buyer matchmaking to drive commercial outcomes.
The WHX portfolio includes three key healthcare events in Africa, held in Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Lagos. These events form a unified platform that connects global brands with regional distributors.
Healthcare professionals, suppliers, and investors are encouraged to register to attend WHX in Lagos, apply to exhibit, and explore its rich learning and networking opportunities as part of Africa’s healthcare future.
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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