Beyond Pilot Projects: Stakeholders Seek AI-Driven Path To Stronger Health Systems In Nigeria

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ABUJA – Concerned that many promising digital health innovations across Africa fail to progress beyond pilot stages, health sector stakeholders are set to convene in Abuja to explore how artificial intelligence (AI), data-driven solutions, and digital transformation can be scaled sustainably to improve healthcare delivery and strengthen health systems in Nigeria.

The high-level roundtable, themed “Moving from Pilots to Scale: Advancing Sustainable Digital Health Solutions for Better Health Outcomes,” is being organised by Vantage Health Technologies, a member of the BroadReach Group, in partnership with the Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED).

The organisers said the event bring together policymakers, public health leaders, donor agencies, development partners, technology experts, healthcare implementers, and members of the media to address one of the most persistent challenges confronting digital health innovation in Africa: translating successful pilot projects into sustainable, large-scale solutions.

According to the organisers, while substantial investments have been made in digital health technologies across the continent over the last decade, many innovations continue to struggle with sustainability, financing, governance, integration into existing health systems, and long-term adoption.

“This is not a technology failure. It is a systems failure,” the organisers noted, stressing that technology alone cannot transform healthcare outcomes without strong leadership, effective governance structures, sustainable financing, and workforce adoption.

The roundtable will examine practical lessons from digital health initiatives that have successfully moved beyond pilot stages and are already delivering measurable impact in Nigeria and other African countries.

Participants are expected to explore how artificial intelligence can improve health system performance, support clinical decision-making, strengthen disease surveillance, enhance workforce productivity, and enable more efficient allocation of healthcare resources.

Organisers said the discussions would focus on critical factors necessary for scaling digital innovations, including government ownership, data-driven decision-making, public-private partnerships, workforce readiness, sustainable financing models, and the responsible deployment of AI technologies.

The event also feature demonstrations of AI-enabled health technologies designed to improve programme management, service delivery, and health outcomes.

Speaking ahead of the engagement, the organisers highlighted the growing importance of digital transformation in addressing complex healthcare challenges.

They noted that countries around the world are increasingly leveraging digital technologies to improve health policies, strengthen disease surveillance systems, enhance service delivery, and support evidence-based decision-making.

Despite these opportunities, they observed that relatively few innovations achieve sustainable scale, underscoring the need for deliberate strategies that integrate technology into existing health systems rather than treating innovation as standalone projects.

The roundtable further examine lessons from successful digital health implementations across Africa and identify policy, governance, and investment frameworks required to support long-term transformation.

BroadReach, a global social enterprise with operations in more than 30 countries, said it has spent over two decades working with governments, ministries of health, donor organisations, and private-sector partners to strengthen health systems through technology-enabled solutions and public health programmes.

The organisation combines healthcare expertise with digital innovation to improve service delivery, support health workers, and expand access to quality healthcare at scale.

Similarly, NHED, a Nigerian non-governmental organisation focused on health equity and sustainable development, has been working with governments, communities, academic institutions, and development partners to strengthen health systems and improve healthcare outcomes through research, policy engagement, capacity building, and technology-driven interventions.

According to the organisers, the roundtable is expected to generate actionable recommendations and foster stronger collaboration among governments, development agencies, technology providers, and private-sector actors to accelerate the adoption of proven digital health solutions.

They maintained that Nigeria has a unique opportunity to leverage AI, data analytics, and digital transformation to improve health outcomes, strengthen accountability, and build more resilient healthcare systems.

“The future of healthcare depends not only on innovation, but on our ability to integrate, scale, and sustain that innovation within existing health systems,” the organisers said.

Expected outcomes from the meeting include practical recommendations on financing, governance, partnerships, and implementation strategies that can help governments and stakeholders unlock the full potential of digital health innovations across Nigeria and the wider African continent.