Lagos upgrades hospitals, plans head and neck centre in Somolu

The Lagos State Government is intensifying its oversight of major hospital projects, with the 280-bed Ojo General Hospital now approximately 85 percent complete and slated for commissioning by late 2026 or early 2027. High-tech medical equipment and furniture have already been ordered for the facility, which is in its final finishing stages.

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We are at the point where we’re doing the finishing touches. We’ve ordered the high-tech equipment. We’ve ordered the furniture.

Simultaneously, construction is underway for a new seven-floor, 180-bed multi-specialist hospital in Somolu, currently about 15 percent complete. This new facility is being built on the site of the former Somolu Local Government headquarters. The decision to construct a new hospital, rather than upgrade the existing 60-bed facility, was driven by the area's large population and the limitations of the current hospital.

The Somolu hospital is designated to become a Head and Neck Super-Specialty Centre. It will offer specialized services such as Plastic Surgery, Maxillofacial Surgery, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Ophthalmology, and Dentistry, in addition to general Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. This specialization is part of a broader state initiative to develop selected general hospitals into centers of excellence.

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Instead of upgrading it, we decided to build a brand-new Somolu Hospital.

Lagos State Health Commissioner Prof. Akin Abayomi stated that this initiative aims to expand access to advanced medical care within the state, thereby reducing the need for residents to travel abroad for specialized treatments. "Over the next five to ten years, we believe that every kind of medical intervention will be available in Lagos in both the public and the private sector, so that outbound medical tourism will stop, and in fact, it will reverse," Abayomi said. The new hospital designs also incorporate sustainable features like renewable energy and water harvesting.

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Over the next five to ten years, we believe that every kind of medical intervention will be available in Lagos in both the public and the private sector, so that outbound medical tourism will stop, and in fact, it will reverse.