The Federal Government has commended the efforts of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in promoting medical tourism and quality assurance in Nigeria.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, gave the commendation when he received a delegation from Afreximbank led by its President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Prof. Benedict Oramah, in his office.
He thanked the financial institution for its sustained developmental efforts in repositioning the nation’s health sector and also ensuring quality of products for exports. He said:
‘’And I’m glad with the progress that has been made, particularly, I remember how we worked quite closely to ensure that you got the piece of land for the Africa Medical Center of Excellence and the African Trade Center too. I think you did the groundbreaking of that. The African quality assurance center in Ogun stage is almost at the verge of completion and it is going to be a hub where quality assurance will be guaranteed. I know that quality assurance has been a bane in the development of Africa because we have not been able to establish quality assurances in different areas and I’m glad that you are interested and you’re pursuing the issue of the Bill in the National Assembly’’.
The SGF noted that one of the challenges militating against the nation’s export industry is lack of quality in products, in which he assured that the proposed quality assurance initiative by the Afreximbank would go a long way to boost the nation’s export drive.
Earlier, the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Prof. Benedict Oramah, said the bank has been supportive in keeping afloat the Nigerian’s banking and the manufacturing sectors, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic through its financial support. He added that $2.5 billion was in the pipeline to support the Bank of Industry (BOI) through the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and to also support the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, among others.
He further abreast the SGF of the commitment of the bank to promote medical tourism in Africa through the construction of Africa Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE). According to him, the Medical Centre will be constructed in Nigeria for West Africa, North Africa, Central Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa.
The president also said that the financial institution is promoting quality through the implementation of the Quality Assurance Centre project which is currently ongoing is Shagamu in Ogun State. According to him, the project will spur the nation’s export industry by ensuring that the quality of the nation’s products meet the international standard.
Afreximbank is an African financial institution established with the purpose of stimulating a consistent expansion and diversification of African trade so as to rapidly increase Africa’s share of global trade; and in doing so, to operate as a first class, profit-oriented, socially responsible financial institution and a center of excellence in African trade matters.
Willie Bassey
Director (Information)
July 6, 2021
