NSRS CONCLUDES 87TH SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE IN BENIN, SETS STRATEGIC AGENDA FOR NIGERIA’S SURGICAL WORKFORCE
Benin City, Nigeria — July 2026: The Nigerian Surgical Research Society (NSRS) has successfully concluded its 87th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Benin City, Edo State, bringing together leading surgeons, researchers, educators, policymakers, and trainees from across the country and beyond.
The conference, hosted at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), focused on one of the most pressing issues in Nigeria’s healthcare sector: the future of the nation’s surgical workforce.
This year’s theme, “Surgical Workforce 2030: Training, Retaining and Task-Sharing in the Nigerian Context,”guided two days of intensive deliberations, scientific presentations, and policy-driven discussions. According to the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Professor Stanley Ukadike Okugbo, the theme “strikes at the very heart of the structural headwinds confronting healthcare delivery in Nigeria today,” highlighting the challenges of brain drain, uneven workforce distribution, and evolving surgical needs.
In his presidential address, Prof. Afeyodion Akhator, President of NSRS, emphasized the urgency of strengthening surgical training programs, improving retention strategies, and adopting safe, evidence-based task-sharing models. He noted that the outcomes of the conference “will influence the direction of surgical education, workforce planning, healthcare policy, and patient care for years to come.”
A major highlight of the event was the keynote lecture delivered by Professor Peter Ndidi Ebeigbe, immediate past President of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and Consultant to the World Health
Organization. His address provided a comprehensive roadmap for building a resilient and future-ready surgical workforce, drawing on global best practices and Nigeria’s unique healthcare realities.
The conference featured multiple scientific sessions, exhibitions, debates, and a pre-conference workshop. Delegates presented high-quality abstracts spanning trauma care, oncology, gastrointestinal surgery, surgical
education, and innovations in clinical practice. Participants were also encouraged to experience the cultural richness of Benin City, described in the brochure as “one of Africa’s most historic urban centres and the cradle of the ancient Benin Kingdom.”
The 87th AGM also marked a significant leadership transition for the Society. Members elected a new executive committee to steer NSRS into its next phase of growth, including preparations for the Society’s landmark 50th anniversary in December.
New Executive Committee of the Nigerian Surgical Research Society (NSRS)
• Dr. George C. Obonna — President
• Dr. Clement Odion — Secretary
• Dr. Lucky Ehiagwina — Assistant Secretary
• Dr. Raymond Eghonghon — Treasurer
• Dr. Omorodion Irowa — Auditor
• Prof. Emmanuel Akpo — Editor
• Dr. Francis Campbell — Assistant Editor
• Prof. Aifeyodion Akhator — Ex Officio I
• Prof. Stanley Okugbo — Ex Officio II
