A new report titled “State of Healthtech in Nigeria 2026” shows that Nigeria’s digital healthcare sector grew rapidly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2020 and 2025, Nigeria added 65 new healthtech startups.
A new report titled “State of Healthtech in Nigeria 2026” shows that Nigeria’s digital healthcare sector grew rapidly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2020 and 2025, Nigeria added 65 new healthtech startups.
To put that into perspective, this explosion of new businesses represents a 65% growth in the country’s healthtech activity. The 65 companies launched in just five years make up more than half of all the medical tech startups created in the 15 years before the pandemic.
Why the Sudden Surge?
Before 2020, people and medical professionals in Nigeria were slow to adopt healthcare apps. However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed everyday habits almost overnight.
Lockdowns and fear of the virus made physical hospital visits very difficult. Suddenly, there was a massive need for alternative ways to get medical help. This drove a huge demand for:
• Telehealth: Consulting doctors via video or phone calls.
• E-pharmacies: Ordering medicines online for home delivery.
• Digital Diagnostics: Booking at-home health and lab tests.
In 2020 alone, 17 healthtech startups were launched, marking the highest number ever recorded in Nigeria in a single year. Today, the country boasts 128 active healthtech startups.
While the pandemic acted as a major launchpad, the initial rush has started to cool down. The report reveals that the sector is now entering a much tougher phase. Startups are facing hard realities on the ground, including weak physical infrastructure, irregular electricity, and low internet connectivity outside major cities.
Funding has also dropped sharply. Investor funding to Nigerian healthtech fell by more than 67% to roughly $18 million in 2024, and hit a low of about $3 million in 2025. This means startups can no longer rely just on big investments; they must build business models that actually make money.
Experts note that technology is only half the battle. In Nigeria, getting people to use health apps relies heavily on trust. Many citizens still prefer traditional methods or local chemists simply because they trust a familiar human face over a smartphone screen.
“We can have as many healthtech apps and digital solutions as we want, but a person will still wait for the local vendor they trust. What changes things is how people are reached.”
— Dr. Egemba (Medical Expert)
To survive, the next generation of Nigerian healthtech companies cannot just focus on tech-heavy areas like Lagos. Founders are being urged to work with existing infrastructure like local pharmacy networks and national delivery systems to reach underserved communities. The startups that can adapt to these local realities are the ones that will shape the future of healthcare in Nigeria.
