Nigeria has recorded its first tele-robotic surgery, marking a major milestone in West Africa’s medical sector.

The complex procedure, a robot-assisted right radical nephrectomy to remove a cancerous kidney tumour, was performed by Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV) in collaboration with RoboMed Global.

The surgeon, Professor Ekwenna Davis, operated the robotic system in real time from a Toumai console at RHV in Mowe, Ogun State, while the patient was at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja, about 500 kilometres away.

The operation, which lasted about three hours, relied on Starlink connectivity, with MTN providing backup to ensure uninterrupted communication between the surgeon and the robotic system.

Davis, Co-founder of RoboMed Global and Professor of Urology and Transplantation, described the procedure as a demonstration of how technology could expand access to specialised medical care in Nigeria.

“The procedure we did was a telesurgery procedure where we were able to operate on a patient in Abuja, 500 kilometres away,” he said.

“This is just the beginning. It is a test, a pilot, of how innovation and technology can really help patients,” Davis added.

He said the development could allow Nigerians to access specialised surgical expertise without travelling abroad and enable Nigerian medical professionals in the diaspora to contribute remotely.

However, Davis noted that connectivity disruptions and weather conditions could pose challenges, stressing the need for reliable infrastructure and adequate safeguards.

RHV board chairman, Dr Kunle Onakoya, also clarified that the robot does not operate independently.

“The robot is still being controlled by a human being, by a very experienced and senior surgeon. It is just that the skills of that surgeon are now being magnified many times over by the robot,” he said.