The Federal Government and a medical expert, Nana Onisarotu, have identified digital innovation as the future of healthcare in Nigeria, emphasizing the need for technology-driven solutions to fast-track medical service delivery across the country.
Echoing this view, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, disclosed that the apex government is committed to strengthening healthcare delivery through digital innovation, data, and artificial intelligence (AI) being developed by Onisarotu, who is also an innovator, and other medical professionals developing devices to improve the healthcare standard in the country.
He made this known during the official opening of the 5th Africa Digital Health Summit (ADHS 2025) in Lagos, describing the event’s theme, “Strengthening Health Systems Through Digital Innovation, Data, and AI”, as timely and aligned with Africa’s health priorities.
“Digital technology is revolutionising the way we do things by removing physical barriers, enhancing workflow, transforming feedback mechanisms, and improving productivity,” he added.
Explaining the importance of digital innovation towards fast tracking healthcare delivery and reduce mortality rate, Onisarotu, who is also an experienced emergency ambulance service provider, introduced ResQCore, a digital platform developed to streamline and accelerate emergency medical response across Nigeria.
She explained that the platform was created to address long-standing delays in emergency care by connecting individuals in need of urgent medical assistance with the closest available ambulances, hospitals, and healthcare providers through a single, integrated interface.
“What if help could come sooner?” she asked, citing a recent case of a young man named Tjay who died following a car accident due to delayed emergency intervention.
“His case made the news, but sadly, many similar stories never do.
Onisarotu noted that such emergencies occur daily, at home, on the road, and in transit, with countless Nigerians left waiting far too long for care. Even after years of operating her own ambulance service, she said delays remain a constant challenge due to infrastructural and coordination gaps.
These real-world challenges, Onisarotu said, inspired the creation of ResQCore, which she described as Nigeria’s first unified Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system.
The platform, the medical expert added, connects individuals, hospitals, and Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) through a real-time digital network.
“Once a service request is received and confirmed, the system automatically matches it with the nearest and most appropriate ambulance, based on the patient’s condition. The entire process, from dispatch to payment, is fully digital,” she said.
The health practitioner described the platform as a full-stack coordination system equipped with a real-time dispatch dashboard, a control panel for providers, and an integrated hospital interface for better visibility into patient arrivals and emergency response timelines.
“We didn’t just start with an app. We started with an ambulance. In over five years, we’ve saved more than 5,000 lives. Now, we can scale that impact by onboarding other service providers into a smarter, connected network,” Onisarotu said.
She noted that ResQCore aims to solve the mismatch between ambulance supply and demand across regions, pointing out that many vehicles remain idle in one location while patients in others wait for help.
“The platform, solves this by ensuring smarter coordination across state lines.
For hospitals and HMOs, the health practitioner added that the solution offers rate standardisation, real-time monitoring, and reduced disputes while helping government agencies modernise emergency services using existing resources, not just new infrastructure.
Onisarotu further emphasized the need for public awareness, lamenting that many Nigerians still do not know how to access ambulance services in an emergency.
“In the US, everyone knows 911, not because they were told, but because it’s embedded in pop culture. Our government needs to do the same,” she said.
When asked about hospital bed availability, Onisarotu explained that many hospitals have adopted Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) and that ResQCore will integrate with these systems via API connections to display real-time data on available beds.
“This would help responders make more informed decisions during emergencies,” she noted.
Speaking on the sector’s commercial potential, the medical expert estimated the Nigerian emergency response market at over $650 million, adding that even a 1% market share would represent a $6.5 million opportunity.
With ambulance transfers in Lagos averaging $100 each, she said the platform’s model is already proving viable.
