Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s health challenges, which spanned most of his time in office, ended on Sunday in a London hospital, reviving public debate about medical tourism and healthcare governance in Nigeria.
Buhari’s last visit to London in June 2025 was for follow-up treatment. It became his final journey.
The late president had embarked on numerous medical trips during his tenure, with his first in June 2016 — barely a year after taking office. In 2017, he was away for over 100 days, his longest medical absence.
From 2018 to 2022, he reportedly travelled annually for medical reasons, often for what his aides described as “routine check-ups.”
His frequent health-related absences led to calls for investment in local medical infrastructure and transparency in leadership health disclosures.
Buhari’s health management, mostly kept private, was one of the most discussed aspects of his presidency.
