As United States President Donald Trump braces up to implement the several executive orders he signed upon assumption of office, especially the one ending birthright citizenship, there are indications that the policy may help Nigeria save huge foreign exchange spent on childbirth medical tourism.
The ban is slated to take effect from February this year.
A large number of Nigerian parents, especially mothers, in their quest to acquire dual or multiple citizenships for their children, fly aboard to have them delivered in the countries of their choice. Most of them end up in the US for the delivery of such babies.
But shortly after he was sworn in as the 47th US President last Tuesday, Trump announced an anti-illegal migration executive order, which banned “birthright citizenship”, a constitutionally protected right that grants automatic US citizenship to babies born in the country.
The new order states that if one parent was “unlawfully present in the United States” and the other was not a citizen or a “lawful permanent resident at the time of the said person’s birth”, the child cannot claim birthright.
It adds that if a parent’s presence in the country was “lawful but temporary” through a tourist, student or work visa, and the other parent was not a US citizen, birthright citizenship would not be passed on to the child.
Against this background, analysts and medical personnel say that pregnant Nigerian women would no longer enjoy the freedom of rushing to the US for childbirth. This will in turn lessen the pressure on the country’s foreign exchange and save huge resources squandered on such trips.
LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered Nigeria could save several millions of naira annually from childbirth tourism, which sees thousands of her women travelling abroad each year to give birth, often in search of foreign citizenship for their children.
This costly practice, primarily targeting countries such as the US, the United Kingdom (UK), and Canada, has become a significant financial drain on Nigeria’s economy, further exposing gaps in the country’s healthcare system.
According to a report published by Lexology, around 23 percent of pregnant Nigerian women insist on giving birth abroad. On an average, these women spend between $5,000 (or N7.7m at current rate) and $15,000 per childbirth ((N23.2m), covering medical fees, travel, accommodation, and visa processing. For those opting for high-end facilities or experiencing complications, the cost could reach $30,000 (N46.5m)
Lexology is a global online platform that provides access to legal news, analysis, and expert commentary from leading law firms around the world, essentially acting as a central hub for legal research and insights. It is based in the United Kingdom (UK), with operations across multiple countries.
With an estimated 10.5 million pregnancies recorded annually in Nigeria (according to the Guttmacher Institute), this trend contributes significantly to the nation’s foreign exchange outflows, making it a pressing economic and social issue.
The Guttmacher Institute is a research and policy non-governmental organisation (NGO) that aims to improve sexual health and expand reproductive rights worldwide. It was started in 1968 and functions as both a research and educational organisation. It operates mainly in US but also focuses on developing countries. Founded as part of Planned Parenthood, the Guttmacher Institute became independent from Planned Parenthood in 2007.
Some pregnant Nigerian women who spoke to LEADERSHIP Weekend on the issue highlighted the motivations for seeking childbirth abroad, with many citing access to birthright citizenship as a key factor.
Mrs. Eunice Chika, who is seven months pregnant, said the news of Trump’s action was devastating.
Mrs. Chika explained how, for months, she and her husband, Ekene, had saved every penny, cutting back on even the smallest luxury item, in their bid to travel to the US for the birth of their child.
For her, it wasn’t just about securing a passport – it was about offering her child opportunities she never had: access to quality education, healthcare, and a chance at a life unburdened by the challenges of her own upbringing.
“I wanted my child to grow up in a place where dreams could come true,” she said, her voice heavy with a mix of longing and disappointment.
Mrs. Chika has now decided to explore other options, including giving birth in the UK or Canada.
“It’s so painful that I have to start the process all over again. I’m already seven months pregnant, and I don’t know if I can still achieve my dream of giving birth abroad. But I have to give it a try,” she lamented.
In Delta State, Omovigho Umukoro shared a similar story. A first-time mother, she and her husband had meticulously planned their trip to California. They had already rented an apartment in California, close to the hospital, paid for the trip, and made all the necessary arrangements.
To them, the US represented a land of endless possibilities – a place where their child could grow up to explore their full potential, but the executive order has shattered those plans.
Mrs. Umukoro, who is due to give birth in February 2025, said she was supposed to travel to California first week of February, and is still struggling to come to terms with the turn of events.
“I cried all night. It felt like a door to my child’s m.
When asked if she had considered travelling to other countries that still offer citizenship by birth, Mrs. Umukoro ruled it out.
“I’m too close to my due date, and there’s no hope for us anymore. The process is not only tedious but also involves huge funds we simply don’t have,” she stated.
Another woman, Mrs. Gbemi Akande, a bank worker, who gave birth to two children in the US, said, “I believe that is the best gift I could give my children. As citizens of the United States, they are offered better educational opportunities, global mobility, and access to loans and jobs abroad.”
On the costs, she said: “I spent about $10,000 for my second child’s birth in 2011, with a discount of about 35 percent.”
Despite the huge expenses, childbirth tourism continues to grow. A study entitled: “A County Hospital Experience with Reproductive Travellers to the United States for Obstetric Care: Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes”, revealed that of the 413 reproductive travellers surveyed, 88 percent were Nigerians. This underscores the substantial financial and societal impact of the trend.
In his reaction, the president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Professor Bala Audu, said that reversing childbirth tourism might be feasible if all countries frequently chosen by Nigerian women for childbirth strictly enforce laws restricting automatic citizenship by birth.
“If other countries continue to allow our women to give birth and grant citizenship to their children, they will simply redirect their efforts to those nations. Therefore, the US ban on birthright citizenship will not have a significant economic impact on Nigeria, as women will seek similar opportunities in other affluent countries,” Audu said.
He, however, criticised the trend, emphasising the irony of Nigerians travelling abroad for care often provided by Nigerian healthcare professionals working overseas.
“Many of these women go abroad for deliveries only to be attended to by Nigerian doctors,” he said.
He called for increased investment in local healthcare infrastructure to reverse the trend and retain skilled professionals within the country.
Nigeria’s healthcare sector loses approximately $2 billion annually to medical tourism, a figure that includes not only childbirth but also other medical procedures sought abroad.
Audu said this is a conservative estimate, as the costs of travel, accommodation, and other ancillary expenses often inflate the total significantly.
Despite these challenges, he insisted that Nigeria’s private healthcare sector is capable of meeting international standards if given the necessary support.
NMA first vice president, Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu, said several hospitals in Nigeria had perform advanced procedures such as kidney transplants and cardiovascular surgeries.
“There is no need to travel abroad for these services when we can deliver the same quality of care here,” he said.
To reverse the trend of childbirth tourism, the stakeholders called for the implementation of policies such as the National Policy on Health Workforce Retention. This policy aims to improve the welfare of healthcare workers and reduce the out-of-pocket expenses that drive many Nigerians to seek care abroad.
The NMA also advocated public-private partnerships to address gaps in healthcare delivery.
At the recent NMA Healthcare and Medical Expo in Lagos, Prof. Audu stressed the importance of showcasing local healthcare capabilities to restore public confidence in the system.
“Nigeria has great hospitals, especially in the private sector. The competencies we seek abroad are available here. It’s time we invested in ourselves and built a healthcare system we can all be proud of,” he said.
As Nigeria grapples with the financial and social costs of childbirth tourism, experts agree that addressing this trend could provide a much-needed boost to the country’s healthcare system.
Redirecting billions of dollars spent abroad back into local healthcare could transform the sector, ensuring that quality care is accessible to all Nigerians and reducing the financial strain on families and the economy.