Nigeria (Commonwealth Union)_ The African Export-Import Bank or Afreximbank and the Government of Nigeria have inked a Host Country Agreement for the development of the inaugural African Medical Center of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja, Nigeria. The signing of the Host Country Agreement aims to enhance the recent groundbreaking for the AMCE project which took place in December 2021 under the leadership of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari.
Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, and Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, signed the agreement. The host country agreement signing ceremony was attended by several delegates from both sides including Mr. Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture; Hon. Joseph Nkama, Minister of State for Health; Dr. George Elombi, Afreximbank Executive Vice President, Corporate Governance and Legal Affairs; and Mrs Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade Bank, along with other officials of the management team of the Bank and the AMCE.
According to Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Afreximbank, the AMCE Abuja is the first of its sort in the West Africa area and one of the very few on the African continent. The AMCE will encourage Intra-African Trade medical tourism by providing a broad spectrum of cancer, hematology, cardiology, and general healthcare services, as well as training and research capacities, throughout the continent. The AMCE Abuja will also act as the headquarters for future AMCEs that will be established throughout Africa.
According to Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, “I understand how tough it is for a country to get host status for a sought-after initiative or institution. In light of the numerous global health issues that exist today, every nation seeks to host an international health institution. I appreciate Afreximbank for introducing this institution as a host to Nigeria.”
