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Nigeria has recorded its first tele-robotic surgery after surgeons successfully performed a complex kidney cancer operation on a patient in Abuja while controlling the robotic system remotely from Ogun State.
The procedure, a robot-assisted right radical nephrectomy to remove a cancerous kidney tumour, was carried out on Saturday evening by Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV), in partnership with RoboMed Global.
The surgeon operated the robotic system from a Toumai console at RHV in Mowe, Ogun State, while the patient received care at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja, about 500 kilometres away.
Tele-robotic surgery allows surgeons to perform procedures on patients from a different location using robotic technology, telecommunications and real-time data transmission.
RoboMed Global co-founder and Professor of Urology and Transplantation Ekwenna Davis 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,” Davis said.
He explained that the operation lasted about three hours and involved medical teams at both locations, with short pauses to confirm that the robotic equipment and communication systems were working properly.
Davis, a US-based surgeon, said the technology could allow Nigerians to access specialised expertise without travelling abroad and could also create opportunities for Nigerian medical professionals in the diaspora to contribute their skills remotely.
“This is just the beginning. It is a test, a pilot, of how innovation and technology can really help patients,” he said.
However, he noted that reliable connectivity and environmental factors such as weather conditions could affect telesurgery operations, stressing the importance of strong infrastructure and safety measures.
The Chief Executive Officer of RHV, Dr Adedamola Dada, said expanding telesurgery in Nigeria would require continued investment in telecommunications, specialist training and medical technology.
He said the procedure relied on Starlink connectivity, with MTN providing backup support, because uninterrupted communication was necessary for the surgeon’s commands to reach the robotic system in real time.
Dada called for government support in developing local expertise through scholarships and training programmes for surgeons, nurses and biomedical engineers.
He added that the robotic system could support several medical procedures, including urological, gynaecological and general surgeries such as prostate operations, kidney procedures, some cancer treatments, fibroid surgery, hysterectomy, appendix and thyroid procedures.
Chairman of the RHV board and orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Kunle Onakoya, stressed that robotic surgery does not mean machines 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,” Onakoya said.
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He added that robotic-assisted surgery could provide greater precision, potentially reducing blood loss, complications and recovery time in suitable procedures.
RHV, a 300-bed multispecialty hospital established by the Redeemed Christian Church of God, said the milestone represents a step towards expanding access to advanced healthcare services in Nigeria.
The development comes as the country continues to face shortages of highly specialised medical professionals, with many Nigerians seeking complex treatments abroad due to limited access to advanced procedures locally.
