President Bola Tinubu has emphasized his administration’s unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality healthcare facilities for all Nigerians. He also confirmed the priority of both domestic and foreign direct investments in the sector.
These comments were made by the president during a meeting with Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), along with a delegation from King’s College Hospital, London (KCH). President Tinubu expressed his approval of the collaboration between Afreximbank and KCH London to establish the Africa Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja, slated for completion in 2025.
”We welcome this significant step towards investing in Nigeria’s healthcare sector. This facility is a great commitment to humanity. We are open and ready to assist this project in every way possible. ”Africa is in need, and Nigeria is committed to the needs of its people. Putting people’s welfare first means putting healthcare first. The training and development of our people are our priorities, and we thank KCH, known for its global reputation, for partnering with us.
”Out of every five black persons, one is a Nigerian. We are racing against time to meet our obligations to our people. This project will further strengthen our long-term vision for the healthcare of our people. We are determined to succeed, and whatever you need in order for us to achieve this project, I want to assure you, we will do it,” he said.
President Tinubu, recently appointed the African Union (AU) Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership, stressed that the continent must not lag behind in healthcare quality and accessibility. He urged Afreximbank to continue investing in projects to bolster Africa’s healthcare capabilities. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, elaborated that the Bank and KCH are partnering to establish a medical and nursing school alongside AMCE, aligning with the administration’s goal of expanding healthcare professional training in the country.
”Your Excellency, you will recall that in October 2023, you approved an initiative to unlock Nigeria’s healthcare value chain and appointed a coordinator. We have worked in the last few months to identify various work streams. ”I am pleased to inform Your Excellency, that today, we signed an MOU with the President of Afreximbank for a $1 billion facility to finance a credit and equity contribution pool for private sector investors interested in investing in Nigeria’s health sector value chain,” he said.
Professor Oramah, the Nigerian-born President of the Bank, pledged the institution’s dedication to enhancing quality health infrastructure across the continent. He emphasized the Bank’s goal of significantly reducing medical tourism from Africa, fostering intra-Africa trade, and generating employment opportunities both in Nigeria and across the continent.
