Nigeria’s first indigenous female neurosurgeon Salamat Aliu-Ibrahim has been appointed medical director of Freeman Children’s Clinic, a facility under Freeman Health System in Joplin, Missouri.
Her appointment drew reactions on social media, with many Nigerians linking her career move to the migration of medical professionals from the country.
Mrs Aliu-Ibrahim currently serves as a paediatrician and medical director at the clinic, according to her profile on the hospital’s website.
Some social media users described her relocation as another example of the challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare sector, while others said her decision reflected personal career choices.
Dr. Salman Bolaji, who said he worked with Aliu-Ibrahim at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), recalled that she was a neurosurgeon at the institution before relocating to the United States.
Another doctor, identified as Dr. Kolapo, said it was notable that a consultant neurosurgeon chose to begin residency training again in another specialty to continue her career abroad.
Salamat Aliu-Ibrahim graduated from the University of Ilorin and completed her neurosurgery residency at the National Hospital, Abuja.
She later undertook a paediatric neurosurgery fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, before returning to Nigeria to work at UITH.
In 2014, she became Nigeria’s first female neurosurgeon and the first woman to complete neurosurgery training entirely within the country. She was also the first indigenously trained female neurosurgeon in West Africa.
In a 2025 interview with Joplin Business Outlook, Aliu-Ibrahim said she wanted to inspire young girls to pursue careers in fields where women were underrepresented.
She explained that after returning to Nigeria from her fellowship in the United States, she sought further opportunities for professional growth.
“I returned to Nigeria after my training, continuing to work as an attending neurosurgeon. However, after some time, I wanted better opportunities for professional growth,” she said.
Aliu-Ibrahim said she initially planned to continue practising neurosurgery in the United States but could not secure a residency position in the specialty.
“I decided to move to the U.S. While I initially set out to practice neurosurgery in the U.S., I did not match into a neurosurgery residency. So, I decided to go for paediatrics, which is a field I also love,” she said.
She later completed her paediatric residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch before joining Freeman Health System.
Aliu-Ibrahim said she accepted a position in Joplin because it met the visa requirement for service in a medically underserved area.
“Joplin, Missouri, fits that description, and that is how I found my way to Freeman Health System. This is my home now,” she said.
She also described Freeman Health System as a workplace where staff work together to provide care for patients.