From Victor Osula, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday commissioned the ultra-modern African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja, describing the state-of-the-art facility as a symbol of African resilience and a bold stride toward making Nigeria a global healthcare destination.
The event coincided with the announcement that Nigeria has secured over $2.2 billion in health sector commitments through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, launched in December 2023 by the Tinubu administration.
The initiative is already in motion and aims to renovate over 17,000 primary health centres, train 120,000 frontline health workers, and double national health insurance coverage within three years.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the commissioning ceremony, President Tinubu said the AMCE is more than just a modern building—it is a statement of intent.
“This is not just a structure of steel and concrete. It is our collective refusal to accept medical vulnerability as destiny,” he said.
The President highlighted several key reforms and investments made in the health sector since assuming office two years ago, including the signing of an Executive Order and the launch of the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC).
These, he noted, have spurred local pharmaceutical production, improved regulatory frameworks, and expanded diagnostic services.
On the $2.2 billion sectoral investment, Tinubu said, “These are not just aspirations—they are milestones already in motion.”
Developed by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in partnership with King’s College Hospital, London, the AMCE is designed to be a hub for advanced treatment, medical training, and research.
It houses West Africa’s largest stem cell laboratory and is expected to expand to include a teaching hospital, a nursing school, and residential quarters for medical staff.
Commending Afreximbank President, Prof. Benedict Oramah, Tinubu said, “This is what happens when African institutions rise to meet African challenges with African solutions.”
The President also emphasized the importance of infrastructure in supporting healthcare, noting that hospitals cannot thrive without good roads and reliable electricity.
“A world-class hospital cannot function on a dirt road, and no MRI machine works without stable electricity,” he said, reaffirming government investment through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund.
“With partners like King’s College London and the University of Wisconsin, this centre will train the next generation of African medical specialists—trained at home, not exported abroad.”
Finance Minister Wale Edun described the centre as a milestone in both health and economic development, revealing that over $400 million in private sector contributions were committed to the project.
“This couldn’t have come at a better time. This hospital is a marvel of science and modernity,” Edun said.
Afreximbank President, Prof. Oramah, said the AMCE represents a personal mission, recalling his own experience as a patient at King’s College Hospital in London.
He said the project was a way to give back and contribute to a more self-reliant healthcare system in Africa.
“This centre is not just for treatment—it will catalyse the transformation of the African health sector,” he stated.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, lauded the initiative, expressing optimism that the hospital would help curb outbound medical tourism by providing quality care locally.
Also speaking at the event were Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan (represented by Health Minister Dr. Jenista Joakim Mhagama); Prof. Clive Kay, CEO of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; and Dr. Tajudeen Raji of the Africa Centre for Disease Control, among others.
