Assessment of emergency care services in Nigerian hospitals: A cross-sectional study

• This study is the first national functional capacity assessment of Adult Emergency Departments in Nigeria, moving beyond prior studies focused only on mortality. • Conducted in Africa’s most populous country, the findings offer valuable insights to guide targeted improvements in emergency care. • The results highlight growing recognition of emergency care infrastructure and signal progress toward stronger, more equitable emergency care systems across Nigeria and the broader African continent. The Accident and Emergency (A&E) unit is a key entry point for healthcare in Nigeria, yet data on its functionality and capacity for emergency care remain limited. This study evaluates the functional capacity of A&E units in Nigeria using a modified Emergency Care Assessment Tool (ECAT). A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to October 2020 in seven tertiary hospitals across Nigeria. Six hospitals, one from each of the country’s six geopolitical zones, were randomly selected, while the seventh-Nigeria’s main trauma center located in the capital-was purposively included. Doctors and nurses routinely working in A&E units were interviewed using a modified Emergency Care Assessment Tool (ECAT), which evaluates the availability of essential medical interventions (signal functions) for managing six common, life-threatening sentinel conditions: Maternal and Child emergencies, Respiratory failure, Trauma, Shock, Altered mental status, and Severe pain. Among 503 healthcare providers surveyed (393 doctors and 110 nurses), significant differences were observed in the performance of signal functions across all six sentinel conditions ( p < 0·001) and across the seven study sites ( p < 0·001). The overall average capacity score was 2·69 out of 3. Federal Medical Center Katsina (North-West zone) recorded the highest mean score of 2·92 (95% CI: 2·77 - 3·07), while UCTH (South-South zone) had the lowest at 2.44 (95% CI: 2·27 - 2·60). Among the conditions assessed, respiratory failure had the lowest mean score at 2·55 (1·88–3·21). This study reveals a higher-than-expected national average A&E capacity score (2·69 out of 3) in Nigerian tertiary hospitals but highlights ongoing challenges, particularly in managing respiratory emergencies. Notable regional disparities were observed, with the Northern region outperforming others. Findings emphasize the need for objective, on-site evaluations and broader inclusion of facilities, along with targeted, region-specific investments to improve equitable emergency care nationwide.