The Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), in an effort to establish Medical Special Economic Zones across the six geo-political zones of the country, has urged the Federal Government to adopt the concept as a national project.
The Managing Director of NEPZA, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, made the remark while formally presenting the concept to the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Mr Adeniyi Adebayo, in Abuja.
Mr Adesugba said the Authority, in its attempt to use the zone scheme to fast track the country’s industrialization process, found it expedient to extend such a mandate to scale-up the country’s healthcare system.
The NEPZA Chief Executive Officer explained that it was vitally important for the concept to be adopted by the Federal Executive Council as a national project, noting that such show of political will was needed to ward-off fears and reservations of investors.
The NEPZA boss also provided rationale for the project based on the COVID-19 effect, adding that the prevalence of the pandemic necessitated the urgent need to improve and invest in the country’s healthcare.
He explained that the project, when brought to limelight, would invariably showcase Nigeria’s potential as a medical tourism destination.
“The medical special economic zone remains a tool to reduce medical tourism and to reinstate buoyancy in our economy’’, he said.
The NEPZA CEO outlined the Authority’s vision for the project with details on the pilot project, benefits to Nigeria, components of the MSEZ, criteria for site selection, criteria for success, the steps taken to date which included stakeholder engagement, gazetting of MSEZ in 3rd schedule of activities, State engagement and budget allocation as well as the proposed implementation strategy.
“The statistics of this morning indicate that we have lost 2,057 people to Covid, but we have lost more to malaria this year as we speak.
“We have lost more to TB, HIV so our intention is to put together the kind of scheme that would holistically address the country’s healthcare challenges.
“We have been able to pick some locations and we discovered that it’s even easier for us because there are some States that have already indicated interest to host the project.
“Lagos, Kwara and Katsina States are waiting for the commencement of this great initiative. While Katsina is on the verge of allotting us 400 hectares of land near the Airport for this scheme, we have taken delivery of large sites in Lekki, Lagos and Kwara respectively”, Adesugba said.
Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Mr Adeniyi Adebayo, expressed delight in this initiative and promised to take it to the Federal Executive Council for consideration.
Amaka E. Nliam
