Tinubu Eyes ‘Billions Of Dollars’ In Healthcare Investment, Appoints AfDB’s Abdu Mukhtar To Lead New Initiative

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr. Abdu Mukhtar as the National Coordinator of the Presidential “Unlocking Healthcare Value-Chain” Initiative.

Tinubu said the initiative was introduced to revitalize Nigeria’s healthcare sector and attract billions of dollars in investments to the sector.

Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, announced the appointments on Tuesday.

Ngelale said the goal would be achieved through “a time-bound and cross-ministerial collaboration to restructure the ecosystem of Health Product manufacturing, Health Logistics services, Health Technology services, Health Retail services (e-Commerce), Health Provider facilitation, and Health Payor reform (Third Party Administrators & Insurers).”

Through the initiative, the Tinubu administration seeks to increase domestic manufacturing of generic pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biologics, and devices as well as reduce outbound medical tourism by enhancing service quality in the country, among others.

Ngelale said Mukhtar “comes to the task as the immediate past Director of Industry & Trade Development at the African Development Bank (AfDB). Prior to joining the AfDB, Dr. Mukhtar served as the Group Chief Strategy Officer of the Dangote Group of Industries, where he played a key role in the conglomerate’s expansion of its cement production footprint into fourteen African countries, in addition to important joint ventures in the power, oil & gas, and agriculture sectors. This followed a four-year tenure as the Chief Executive Officer of the FCTA’s Abuja Investment Company Limited from 2007 to 2011.”

The appointee’s qualifications include a Doctorate in Biotechnology from Boston University (USA), a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School (USA), a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a Medical Degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.