THE NIGERIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY
ISSN: 0331-4111 e-ISSN: 2736-075X
Volume 24, No. 1, June 2026
Pages 50-61
DOI: 10.36108/NJSA/6202.42.0130
Artificial Intelligence and Medical Practice in Nigeria
Usman Ibrahim and Anjugu Reuben Joseph
Department of Sociology, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
Abstract
This study examined the intersection between artificial intelligence and medical practice in Nigeria with specific focus on the extent to which artificial intelligence is currently integrated into medical diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare delivery systems. The study further focused on the perceived benefits and challenges of adopting artificial intelligence among healthcare professionals and institutions and the impact of artificial intelligence on the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of medical services in Nigerian healthcare facilities. The study adopted theory of technological determinism as its theoretical orientation and relied on secondary data. The study found that AI technologies are increasingly becoming part of the medical ecosystem in Nigeria, although the level of integration remains modest and uneven across different regions and healthcare sectors. The study also found that AI integration in healthcare practices has benefits as well as challenges and that AI has enhanced diagnostic accuracy and treatment precision in Nigerian hospitals. The study concludes that AI technologies have made moderate but steady inroads into medical practices in Nigeria, particularly in the areas of diagnostics, treatment planning, and healthcare delivery systems. The study recommends comprehensive capacity building, strengthening healthcare infrastructure and promoting context-specific research, innovation, and public-private partnerships as ways to improve medical practices through the integration of AI in healthcare.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, medical practices, medical diagnosis