Imo robotic academy targets 500 African surgeons in two years

The Imo State University, in partnership with the Imo Robotic Centre, has established a robotic surgery academy aimed at training at least 500 surgeons and other surgical professionals from across Africa within two years.

The academy’s Clinical Lead, Professor Kingsley Ekwueme, who disclosed this, described the initiative as Africa’s first dedicated robotic surgery academy located within a university campus.

Ekwueme, a consultant urologist and laparoscopic and robotic surgeon, said the partnership was established in August 2026 following a meeting between the university and its partners.

He said the meeting culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding and the allocation of a building for the academy.

“We successfully performed the first surgery in the region in August. We followed up with multiple robotic surgeries at the Imo Robotic Centre, where many patients are already benefiting from this state-of-the-art technology, now available for the first time in southeast Nigeria. We have also partnered with Imo State University, following a successful meeting on the 18th of August, 2026, and launched the robotic surgery academy at the university.

“It is important for me and for the academic proficiency at Imo State University that any erroneous claim about the first robotic surgery academy is debunked and the records are straight.

Currently in Imo State, the Imo Robotic Centre is delivering state-of-the-art surgery in Imo State. We have performed several surgeries successfully, and patients are benefiting,” he noted.

Ekwueme, recently appointed Professor of Robotic Surgery at Imo State University, said the initiative was designed to develop local expertise, train complete surgical teams and make advanced procedures accessible to Nigerians without the need to travel abroad for treatment.

He further noted that the academy, which has international faculty members, aims to train 500 robotic surgeons and other surgical team members over the next two years and would also support participating institutions with the procurement and installation of robotic systems.

“We envisaged that over the next two years we would have trained 500 robotic surgeons and teams. And that would come from Nigeria and across Africa as well. So we expect that from our own calculations that we would be able to train over 250 Nigerian surgeons,” the robotic surgeon added.

Continuing, he noted, “We are not only training surgeons, but we are also training the whole surgical team. And this is very important because we want to train a team to be able to deliver safe and effective robotic surgery at their own local centre.”

Ekwueme, who is the clinical lead for urology in North Wales at Glan Clwyd Hospital, United Kingdom, explained that the training would cover surgical specialities beyond urology, including gynaecology and bowel surgery, adding that the programme would be certified by Imo State University.

The surgeon described the academy as the first of its kind in Africa and said it was designed to address the shortage of local expertise needed to expand access to robotic-assisted procedures.

He said the Imo Robotic Centre, developed in partnership with the Imo State Government under Governor Hope Uzodimma, had already performed several procedures following the first surgery in the region in August, with patients benefiting from the technology.

He added that the facility was intended to make advanced surgical procedures accessible to patients in the South-East without requiring them to travel abroad.

“We have bridged the gap. So, nobody needs to travel beyond leaving your house and driving a few minutes down the road to have your surgery,” he said.

Ekwueme also disclosed that plans were underway to establish an oncology centre adjacent to the robotic facility to provide advanced diagnostic and cancer treatment services.

The projects, he explained, were intended to strengthen specialised healthcare services, improve access to advanced treatment and create opportunities for Nigerian medical professionals to deliver sophisticated procedures locally.

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He noted that robotic surgery could offer patients benefits such as smaller incisions, reduced blood loss, shorter hospital stays and faster recovery compared with conventional open surgery.

“Unfortunately, the vast majority of surgeries currently being performed in Nigeria are open surgery, not robotic surgery. When a patient has open surgery, the patient ends up with long incisions and scars.

“With robotic surgery, there is less or even no blood loss. You stay in the hospital for one night. In some cases, you go home the same day. You return to your normal function at an incredible speed. And that is the beauty of robotic surgery,” the don added.

The urologist, however, stressed that the benefits depended on the surgeon’s ability to operate the robotic system proficiently, making specialised training essential.

He explained that robotic technology could be used for procedures involving the kidney, ureter, bladder and prostate, as well as fibroid removal, hysterectomy and ovarian procedures.

He also listed bowel cancer operations, gallbladder procedures and some cardiac operations among the procedures that could be performed with robotic assistance.

Ekwueme said the development of local robotic surgery capacity could also help reduce medical tourism by enabling Nigerians to access advanced procedures within the country.

He said the process of reversing medical tourism had already started, adding that patients who previously travelled abroad for treatment could now access some procedures at the Imo Robotic Centre.

He noted that medical travel often placed additional financial and emotional burdens on patients and their families, who had to pay for transportation, accommodation and other expenses.

The surgeon called on the government to support the acquisition of robotic systems by reducing the financial burden associated with importing the technology.

He said taxes and other costs involved in obtaining robotic equipment could affect the affordability of procedures, adding that government support would ultimately help make advanced surgery more accessible to Nigerians.

Ekwueme also urged public health institutions interested in adopting robotic surgery to partner with the centre for training and assistance with acquiring the systems.

“We know how to acquire robotic systems. I will advise any public institution to come to train with us. We will help them to acquire robots, without a doubt,” he said.

Looking ahead, Ekwueme said his ambition was to see robotic surgery become accessible in hospitals across Nigeria within the next decade.

“In ten years, I see every Nigerian having access to robotic surgery anywhere in Nigeria. I see a Nigeria where brain drain would be significantly less. In fact, I dare to predict there is going to be a reversal of brain drain,” he said.

Further highlighting his experience in the field, Ekwueme said he had developed a prostate clinic in the United Kingdom and had been involved in pioneering robotic surgery in Nigeria and the wider West and Central African region.

He said his team had performed more than 145 robotic procedures through the programme he developed, describing the figure as the highest number recorded by a comparable programme in Africa.

Ekwueme said his professional experience included developing robotic surgery services, training surgeons and consulting for robotic technology companies in Europe.