Who We Are

MANSAG is an association incorporated in the UK Charities Commission and established exclusively for charitable, education, scientific and research purposes. MANSAG is an acronym for Medical Association of Nigerians Across Great Britain. This association was formed in 1997 following a long period of cross-fertilization of ideas amongst Medical Doctors of Nigerian heritage resident in the United Kingdom. It is the main professional body representing the interests of over 15,000 Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists, Radiographers, and other Allied Healthcare professionals of Nigerian heritage in the United Kingdom. The Association is proud to have amongst its members, a diverse range of skilled healthcare professionals who are contributing and delivering highly specialist care in the United Kingdom and who are passionate about building and strengthening health systems in Nigeria and in the developing world. MANSAG plays a pivotal role in the new world order, partnering with similar interest organisations and bodies to improve the health and welfare of the less privileged members of our societies living in the United Kingdom, Nigeria and Africa.

OUR PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES ARE:

To promote the professional wellbeing and social integration of Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses and Allied Health Professionals of Nigerian heritage living in the United Kingdom;
To facilitate the seamless integration of Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses and Allied Healthcare professionals of Nigerian heritage into the United Kingdom Health systems;
To provide opportunities for academic advancement for members;
To facilitate recreational, social and welfare activities for our members;
To carry out charitable activities aimed at supporting important causes within the UK and Nigeria.

Mission

To strengthen, protect, nurture and enrich the professional and social lives of our members living in the United Kingdom.

VISION

Our vision is to have a purposeful, formidable and unified forum for Medical Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses and Allied Healthcare professionals of Nigerian heritage in the United Kingdom and make a positive impact on our members, our host country, United Kingdom and home country, Nigeria.

WHAT WE DO:

Our MANSAG Annual Spring Education Symposium and Galadima Lecture: At this annual event, we showcase members engaged in various academic and research endeavors across all aspects of healthcare. We recognize members that have pioneered innovations in healthcare and motivate those who are developing their careers in academia and research. The Galadima Lecture, named in honour of one of our founding members, Dr. Alfa Sa’adu, aims to inspire us to use our skills and expertise to impact on the health systems of both United Kingdom and Nigeria.
Our MANSAG Annual General Conference and Meeting: At our Annual General Conference and Meeting, we address a wide range of issues that impact on our members living and working in the United Kingdom and engage with Nigerian policy makers on how our members can impact on health systems there.
Our Diaspora Engagement Initiatives are designed to help strengthen health systems sustainably and to build health workforce capacity in Nigeria. We carry this out through our Strengthening Collaboration and Advancing Clinical Excellence (SCALE) framework and our Skills Transfer and Retention (STAR*) initiatives.
MANSAG has strengthened its Committee structure, Regional Chapters, and Partnerships framework to build a robust membership network across the country and leverages our website resources and social media platforms to facilitate active and lively membership engagement in all our work.
MANSAG’s unique platform as an inclusive organization for Medical Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses and Allied Care Professionals provides an ample opportunity for professional and social interaction for a diverse health workforce in different specialties and in different parts of the United Kingdom.

PRINCIPLES, VALUES AND MANSAG CHARTER

MANSAG is committed to supporting all its registered members in whatever circumstances they may find themselves. This commitment could take the form of assisting with identification of development needs, provision of informal mentoring, extending their network, supporting members through personal or professional welfare challenges.

We will maintain confidentiality as appropriate and will use our collective strength to work in partnership with other relevant professional bodies, Associations and Unions to promote the needs and effective delivery of such needs of our members.

MANSAG works positively with the policy makers and key stakeholders in the United Kingdom and Nigeria where appropriate to ensue that our members can contribute to health policies and strategies with the aim of maximizing the positive impact that such an inclusive approach could have on our health systems.

Members are expected to pay their subscriptions and conduct themselves professionally at all times and act as role model for young Nigerian healthcare practitioners. MANSAG continues to promote the integration of its members into wider British culture but equally works to preserve its distinct history and culture in order to ensure that its members keep a sense of their roots and identity. All members are expected to contribute their time, professional skills and expertise when necessary for the benefit of the association as a whole.

CURRENT MANSAG PROJECTS

MANSAG Futures: The aim of the MANSAG Futures is to offer support and guidance to Clinical Students and Resident Doctors within their area of specialist interest as they develop their career. The MANSAG Futures mentors will offer insights, share experiences and expertise as well as provide support and encouragement to Clinical Students and Resident Doctors. The focus of the mentoring relationships is expected to be:
1. Career guidance and job application assistance
2. Personal development planning
3. Support within relevant website professional network fora.
4. Academic collaborations in research and publications.

2. Regional Chapter Events: MANSAG has ten Regional Chapters across United Kingdom. Each Regional Chapter is led by a Regional Chair, supported by a Committee. They organize different activities for the members that live within that region. To access your Regional Chapters, please visit the relevant link here.

3. Continuing Professional Development (CPD): MANSAG runs several educational activities throughout the year. Our regional and national events do have educational activities that are suitable for CPD points. Please check with event organizers for details.

4. Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (DHII): MANSAG is working with other global diaspora Nigerian Medical Associations in partnership with Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMOHSW), and the Nigerian Medical Association to deliver a range of specialist training programs across Nigeria, starting in January 2026. These Associations are: Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists (CANPAD), Nigerian Medical Association, Germany (NMA-G), Nigerian Doctors Forum, South Africa (NDF-SA), Nigerian Association of Medical Doctors in Australian Capital Territory (NAMDA), and Concerned Medics Foundation (CMF). The aim of this Initiative is for diaspora healthcare professionals to work alongside local healthcare systems to sustainably build local health workforce capacity.

OUR HISTORY

Whenever you find two or more Nigerians gathered for the briefest of moments, more often than not, the travails of Nigeria are discussed intensely and passionately with frustration and despair. In the case of MANSAG, these discussions often dovetail into desperate and frustrating conditions that Nigerian doctors are subjected to whilst pursuing their careers in the NHS. Following several conversations, Hosea Gana, Cally Nwosu, Olu Obaro, Andrew Baderin, and Titus Odedun to name a few, felt that the time for talking was over and practical solutions were required. To this end, a series of meetings were organised.

Preceding and concurrent with these meetings were issues of a constitution and a name for the body. A constitution drafting committee was inaugurated which included senior members, particularly Professor P. Osuhor who was a professor and a mentor of many of the founding members. The final drafted document was completed in the house of one of the members, Steve Orife.

The journey continued with the numbers gradually increasing and enthusiasm rising. The meetings were held in members house to start with, moving on to public places in Liverpool, Newcastle upon Tyne etc. It is important to note that the enthusiasm was such that the next big hurdle was crossed when a meeting was held in a five-star Hotel in Leicester. The event was hosted by Mr. Sola Oni and Uche Ngwu; also present were international guest speakers. The meetings also formulated policies with respect to achieving goals in Nigeria and also method and mechanisms of consolidating the organisation’s status in the British Isles.

The acronym MANSAG was initially the Medical Association of Nigerian Specialists and General Practitioners in the British Isles according to the first constitution which was adopted on the 19th September 1998 and was revised 12th September 1999. The acronym was later changed to reflect the changing healthcare landscape and to be inclusive of all healthcare professionals of Nigeria heritage.