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By Ugochukwu Ibezim
Portfolio Director for Healthcare at Informa Markets, Tom Coleman, has said that the 2026 WHX is primed to accelerate the growth of the health sector as the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) continues to sink deeper roots in the continent.
Coleman, who spoke at the forthcoming WHX Lagos 2026 health expo, to be held from June 2–4 at the Landmark Centre, indicated that the expo is expected to draw more than 500 exhibitors, 8,000 healthcare professionals from over 40 countries, and 30 high-powered speakers. Organisers say it will be the largest gathering of its kind ever held in West Africa.
He said: “WHX is where policy ambition translates into real collaboration — accelerating West Africa’s emergence as a healthcare leader under AfCFTA.”
By 2027 the sector is forecast to surge 7.1 per cent to a $161.7 million market, powered by a massive $1.2 billion government investment in hospitals, equipment and doctors, plus ambitious oncology and diagnostic projects from the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority.
AfCFTA trade deals are opening floodgates for cross-border deals, while Nigeria already dominates West Africa’s medical-device market – set to rocket from $414.8 million this year to $632.48 million by 2030 at a blistering 8.56 per cent compound annual growth rate.
Yet the gap between promise and reality remains brutally clear: 70 per cent of all healthcare spending still comes straight out of patients’ pockets. That painful statistic is now the biggest neon sign for private investors and global innovators looking for the next high-growth frontier.
Enter WHX Lagos 2026 — the three-day blockbuster event that industry leaders are calling the moment
Also speaking, President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, Njide Ndili said: “Leadership lies at the heart of healthcare transformation. The shift from care to capability is essential for long-term success — and these efforts must be scaled across all levels of the system.”
The agenda is laser-focused on results. Day one’s Healthcare Market Access and Policy Leadership Forum will hammer out regulatory harmonisation and AfCFTA opportunities. Day two’s Hospital Investment and Buyer Leadership Forum — run with ABCHealth — will dissect financing models and procurement strategies that actually move money. Day three’s Heads of Laboratory Forum, in partnership with the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, tackles the diagnostics revolution sweeping the region.
For this year, there is a new offering: a fully integrated Lab Zone with live demonstrations, a dedicated networking lounge, hands-on workshops, and aggressive buyer-matchmaking sessions designed to turn conversations into signed contracts before delegates even leave Lagos.
With Nigeria’s population racing toward 250 million — according to OECD projections — the pressure on primary and specialist care is only intensifying. But stakeholders see the same numbers as an unprecedented opportunity.
From medical devices and digital diagnostics to hospital infrastructure, wellness solutions and laboratory services, the expo floor will showcase the exact technologies and partnerships that can turn Nigeria’s healthcare boom from headline into everyday reality.
For global brands, regional distributors and local investors, WHX Lagos 2026 is not just another conference. It is the deal room where Africa’s healthcare future will be bought, built and delivered.
