Africa to add 3 million health workers by 2035 amid 6 million shortage risk

African health ministers have endorsed the Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035, committing to plan, educate, employ and retain 3 million additional health workers by 2035 as the continent faces the risk of a shortage of more than 6 million health workers.

The agenda was adopted on Wednesday, August 26, during the 76th session of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, according to a statement published on the WHO Regional Office for Africa’s website.

The commitment comes as African countries, including Nigeria, continue to lose trained health professionals to overseas countries, where many seek better career opportunities, remuneration and working conditions.

What they are saying

Africa’s health workforce has grown significantly over the past decade, reaching an estimated 5.72 million health workers in 2024. However, the continent has only about 46% of the health workforce it needs, leaving millions without adequate access to essential health services.

• “Without decisive action, the Region could face a shortage of more than 6 million health workers by 2035,” the statement said.

Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said the new agenda recognises that increasing the number of trained health workers alone will not address the continent’s workforce challenges.

• “By adopting the Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035, our Member States have recognized that educating health workers is only the beginning. We must also create the opportunities, the support and the conditions that enable them to serve, grow and thrive where they are needed most,” he said.

More insights

On average, Africa has about one doctor for every 3,000 people, roughly one-third of the ratio recommended by WHO. The continent also has only about one-third of the estimated 6,000 epidemiologists it needs.

• Nigeria’s situation highlights the wider workforce challenge. The country has about 2.9 doctors per 10,000 people, equivalent to one doctor for approximately 3,474 people, compared with the WHO recommendation of 17 doctors per 10,000 people.
• With Nigeria’s population exceeding 230 million, the country would need nearly 400,000 doctors to meet that benchmark but has only around 66,000, leaving a significant gap in medical manpower.

The shortage has been worsened by the migration of Nigerian doctors. In 2024, Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, said Nigeria had lost between 15,000 and 16,000 doctors to brain drain over the previous five years.

What you should know

The latest evidence cited by WHO shows that closing Africa’s health workforce gap would require an additional $4 to $6 per person annually, with the investment expected to generate significant economic and social benefits.

It is estimated that every dollar invested in the health workforce could generate up to $10 in economic returns and about 30 times its value in broader social benefits, through healthier populations, higher productivity and stronger economies.

Nigeria’s struggle to retain and adequately support its medical workforce has also been reflected in repeated disputes between resident doctors and the Federal Government.

• In January, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) moved towards another nationwide strike over unresolved agreements with the government, including issues around allowances, salaries and medical residency training.

The association again threatened industrial action in April before suspending the planned strike following renewed government commitments on outstanding payments and training-related concerns.

• In August, NARD suspended another planned nationwide strike after further engagements with the Federal Government, although the association said it would monitor the implementation of agreements covering salaries, allowances, promotions and welfare issues.

The Federal Government has also sought to encourage Nigerian health professionals abroad to return home. In July, President Bola Tinubu called on Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals in the diaspora to return and contribute their expertise to the transformation of the country’s healthcare sector.