An Ibadan-based organization has called on Nigeria's National Assembly to incorporate brain health and capital development into health, education, and economic policies. The appeal highlights Africa's escalating brain health crisis, which costs the continent $54 billion annually. This comes amid Nigeria's demographic changes and rising brain disorders.
The Brain Health Initiative Nigeria, based in Ibadan, urged the National Assembly on November 20, 2025, to enact urgent legislation integrating brain health and brain capital development into the country's health, education, and economic frameworks. Executive Director Dr. Temitope Farombi, a neurologist, conveyed this in a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, delivered through the Clerk.
Farombi referenced the G20 Brain Policy Paper (2025), noting that African nations incur over $10 billion yearly in direct healthcare costs for brain health disorders, plus $44 billion in lost productivity, totaling $54 billion for the continent. She emphasized brain health as a core element of human capital development, warning that inaction could exacerbate Nigeria's vulnerabilities amid rapid demographic shifts, including a burgeoning youth population and increasing age-related brain conditions.
The letter drew on the Africa Task Force on Brain Health, coordinated by the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative with global expert support. It outlined five priority areas for reforms: combating low birth weight, boosting education and cognitive development, promoting cardiovascular health, tackling hearing loss, and advancing innovative treatments and digital tools.
This push underscores the need for proactive policies to address the growing brain health challenges in Africa, particularly in nations like Nigeria facing evolving health burdens.