Tele-Robotic Surgery: Nigeria Leads in Africa Records Tele-Robotic Surgery Milestone at RCCG Health Village
By Temidayo Anthony
Nigeria has recorded a significant milestone in advanced medical care with the successful performance of a tele-robotic surgery at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Health Village in Ogun State.
The procedure demonstrates the growing application of robotic technology in healthcare and places Nigeria among countries exploring the possibilities of remotely assisted surgery.
While tele-robotic surgery remains a highly specialised field, several countries have already demonstrated successful procedures across significant geographical distances.
In France and the United States, surgeons in New York remotely removed the gallbladder of a patient in Strasbourg, France, in 2001. Known as the Lindbergh Operation, it is widely regarded as the first successful transatlantic telesurgery performed on a human.
Canada followed with another milestone in 2003, when surgeons at a teaching hospital in Hamilton performed remote laparoscopic procedures on patients at a hospital in North Bay, more than 400 kilometres away.
China has also made significant advances in the field, including long-distance robotic procedures supported by 5G technology. More recently, surgeons in Shanghai remotely performed robotic prostate and kidney operations on patients in Kuwait City, approximately 7,000 kilometres away.
In Japan, researchers have demonstrated remote robotic surgical procedures between hospitals, including work involving the domestically developed hinotori surgical robot.
International collaboration has also continued to advance the technology. In 2025, IRCAD reported a telesurgical demonstration involving its team in France and a surgical team in Kobe, Japan.
Against this global backdrop, the successful tele-robotic surgery at the RCCG Health Village in Ogun State represents an important development in Nigeria’s healthcare technology journey, while highlighting the potential of advanced digital and robotic systems to connect specialised surgical expertise with patients across geographical boundaries.
