Analysis of the distribution of hospitals and population projections across Nigeria has shown Nigeria has an average of 17 hospitals to 100,000 persons.
Based on data from the Nigeria Health Facility Registry (NHFR), Nigeria has a total of 39914 operational hospitals and clinics – 39914. This number combines private and public hospitals across the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of care.
The total number of health facilities in the country is extremely insufficient both at the country and state level of access to healthcare.
As shown in the chart above, the number of facilities for the states are: Lagos 2333; Katsina 1943; Benue 1837; Niger 1565; Oyo 1490; Kaduna 1419; plateau 1470; Kano 1476; Nasarawa 1337; Cross river 1280; Kogi 1235; Bauchi 1212.
Meanwhile there are other states with more than a thousand hospitals. They are Imo 1197; Ogun 1197; Abia 1196; Anambra 1166; Edo 1042; Enugu 1037; and Osun with 1070.
Number of Nigerians Per Facility
The health to population index however, revealed a more dire situation with access to healthcare facilities in Nigeria. A ratio analysis of health facilities in each state with the projected population of each state presented a worrisome proportion for the whole country.
With a combined number of private and public hospitals at 39,914 and an estimated population of 234 million Nigerians, the country has an average of 17 health facilities to every 100,000 Nigerian.
While nominal facility data ranks Lagos, Katsina, and Benue as top three states with highest health facilities across the country, none of the three states made the top three ranks Lagos
Despite having a low national proportion of healthcare facilities to 100,000 persons in Nigeria, 17 states’ proportion is below the national average. The states are Oyo, Lagos, Bauchi, Ondo, Ekiti, Yobe, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Federal Capital Territory, Delta, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Kano, Borno, and Rivers.
A closer look suggests that population density may be a contributing factors for these states falling below national average.
Analysis across the states and capital shows that twenty states have an average of health facilities to 100,000 persons above the national average.
Nasarawa state topped the list with an average of 44 health facilities to 100,000. Plateau, Cross Rivers, Abia and Benue states complete the top fives states. These states have an average of 29, 27, 27, and 26 health facilities per 100,000 persons respectively.
However, seventeen states have a proportion of health facilities to 100,000 persons below the national average of 17.
Rivers state and Borno state have the least ratio with only about 7 health facilities per 100,000 persons while Kano, Jigawa and Bayelsa have 9, 11 and 11 health centres per 100,000 respectively.