Tinubu unveils $2.2bn health reform as world-class medical centre opens in Abuja
By Kunle Sanni
President Bola Tinubu has announced that Nigeria has secured over $2.2 billion in funding commitments to overhaul its healthcare system, aimed at improving access to quality medical services nationwide.
The announcement was made on Thursday during the official commissioning of the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja. The state-of-the-art facility was developed by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with King’s College Hospital, London.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu described the AMCE as a symbol of Africa’s resilience and innovation, emphasizing Nigeria’s ambition to become a global healthcare destination.
“This is not just the unveiling of a structure of steel and bricks, but a declaration of Nigeria’s refusal to accept medical vulnerability as destiny,” he said.
Tinubu noted that the $2.2 billion in commitments was secured through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative launched in December 2023. The initiative targets the renovation of over 17,000 primary health centres, training of 120,000 frontline health workers, and doubling of health insurance coverage within three years.
He also highlighted key policy interventions, including an executive order and the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), which has improved local pharmaceutical production and diagnostic access.
The AMCE features the largest stem cell laboratory in West Africa and is expected to expand with a teaching hospital, nursing school, and residential quarters for healthcare professionals.
Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, commended the project as a milestone for Nigeria’s healthcare and economy, disclosing that the private sector contributed over $400 million to the development of the centre.
