President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Abdu-Mukhtar to serve as the National Coordinator of the Presidential ‘Unlocking Healthcare Value-Chain’ Initiative, a new cross-ministerial initiative that is domiciled under the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare.
Dr Mukhtar is to achieve a measurable increase in the domestic manufacturing of generic pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and devices as well as reduce medical tourism by enhancing service quality in Nigeria.
The newly appointee is also to realise a measurable increase in the number of quality jobs across the value chain through enhanced Foreign Direct Investment and local capital mobilisation.
Spokesperson to the President, Ajuri Ngelale said the approval of the appointment seeks to also unlock billions of dollars of new investment into the nation’s healthcare delivery system 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 Pay and reform (Third Party Administrators & Insurers)
Ngelale stated that President Tinubu expects that the National Coordinator of the new cross-ministerial initiative will bring to bear his vast experience and academic qualifications in the effective execution of the national assignment such that the massive economic boon represented by Nigeria’s healthcare-delivery system can move from potential and theory into reality and practice by the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.
The newly appointee recently served as the immediate past Director of Industry & Trade Development at the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Before 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.
Dr. Mukhtar holds a Doctorate in Biotechnology from Boston University (USA); a Master in Business Administration from Harvard Business School (USA); a Master in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a Medical Degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Dominica Nwabufo
