President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday commissioned the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja, describing it as a landmark in African innovation and resilience, and a major step towards positioning Nigeria as a global hub for healthcare services.
The commissioning of the state-of-the-art facility, developed by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in partnership with King’s College Hospital, London, came as the Federal Government announced it had secured over $2.2 billion in health sector investment through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, launched in December 2023.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu said the new medical centre symbolised Nigeria’s collective determination to move away from healthcare vulnerabilities and to take bold steps towards a future of self-sufficiency and excellence in medical care.
“This project is not just a structure of steel and bricks, it is a powerful statement of our refusal to accept medical vulnerability as destiny,” he said.
He highlighted key health reforms undertaken since his administration began two years ago, including the signing of an Executive Order to unlock the healthcare value chain and the launch of the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), which has improved pharmaceutical production, regulatory frameworks, and access to diagnostics.
“In December 2023, we launched the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, securing over $2.2 billion in commitments. Our targets are clear renovate more than 17,000 primary health centres, train 120,000 frontline health workers, and double national health insurance coverage in three years. These are not mere aspirations; they are goals already in motion,” Tinubu said.
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He praised Afreximbank and its President, Professor Benedict Oramah, for their visionary leadership, noting that AMCE is home to West Africa’s largest stem cell laboratory and is set to expand to include a teaching hospital, nursing school, and residential quarters for medical personnel.
“I must commend Afreximbank and Professor Oramah for daring to dream and for responding to African challenges with African solutions,” Tinubu said.
The President reaffirmed his government’s commitment to supporting the initiative through investments in infrastructure under the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund.
“A world-class hospital cannot function on a dirt road, and no MRI machine works without stable electricity. We are investing in the roads, power, and connectivity that sustain healthcare institutions,” he added.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, noted that the AMCE, valued at approximately $400 million, was mobilised through private sector investment and comes at a critical time in Africa’s development journey.
“This establishment positions Nigeria as both healthier and wealthier. It is a marvel of science and a symbol of our readiness to offer world-class care on African soil,” Edun remarked.
In his address, Afreximbank President, Prof. Benedict Oramah, described the project as a deeply personal mission born out of his own health struggles and treatment at King’s College Hospital in London.
“The African Medical Centre of Excellence is not just about top-tier medical care; it is about transforming the African healthcare landscape. It is a response to a deeply felt need one I lived through, and a testimony to our commitment to saving lives rather than burying dreams,” Oramah stated.
He noted that the hospital was also part of Afreximbank’s broader strategy to catalyse healthcare transformation in Africa through its partnerships with Star Alliance, King’s College Hospital, and lessons from over a decade of healthcare sector engagement.
Also speaking, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Richard Montgomery, applauded the initiative, saying the facility has the potential to end medical tourism by offering Nigerians and other Africans world-class care at home.
“This hospital will not only prevent outward medical travel but will attract others to Nigeria for treatment,” he said.
Messages of goodwill were also delivered by Dr Jenista Joakim Mhagama, representing Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan; Prof. Clive Kay, Chief Executive of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; and Dr Tajudeen Raji of Africa CDC, among others.
With its commissioning, the AMCE is set to become a flagship for advanced healthcare delivery, training, and research on the continent, ushering in a new era of medical excellence rooted in African soil.
