MedServe CEO warns against AI replacing doctors

Dr. Tolulope Adewole, Chief Executive Officer of MedServe - a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) - warned Nigerians against relying on artificial intelligence tools for medical diagnosis at the Africa Technology Expo (ATE 2026) held in Lagos on Friday June 26, 2026, per Vanguard. Adewole argued that AI should function as an enabler for healthcare workers rather than a replacement for clinical consultation.

Adewole drew an analogy to the introduction of computers, which initially threatened secretarial roles but ultimately did not displace them. "The doctors that is threatened is one not willing to move with the times. Doctors need to see it as an enabler," he said. He maintained that human doctors remain indispensable because AI platforms themselves disclaim accountability: "Go to the doctor who is adept at the tools. Go see your doctor and diagnose. If you go to these AI apps, there is caveat where they say they are not responsible for what happens to you. So we still need a physical doctor."

Industry-pattern observations: clinicians and health system executives in Africa and globally continue to emphasize that AI diagnostic tools carry explicit disclaimers of non-accountability, which shifts liability back to the clinician or patient. Adewole also identified poor power infrastructure as the sector's greatest structural obstacle - "The biggest challenge in Africa healthcare sector is power" - and argued that three elements are essential for a functional healthcare system: infrastructure, technology, and human capital. Despite the caution, he expressed optimism that Africa could narrow the healthcare gap with leading innovation hubs within a decade.

For practitioners and policymakers: track how major AI health platforms update their disclaimer frameworks, and watch for regulatory responses across West Africa to AI diagnostic tools as consumer adoption grows.