NSIA to open additional centres in 24 states in three years — Chairman

Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) are in the process of opening additional centres in 24 states over the next three years, covering oncology, diagnostics and catheterization.

This was disclosed in a welcome remark by the non Executive Director of  the NSIA, Mr. Ikemefuna Isiekwena   on Saturday, December 10,  at the civic centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe, VI, Lagos State.

According to him, “In healthcare, we are bringing ultramodern equipment to deliver first class diagnostic and cancer care services to Nigeria. As you may know, we opened an oncology centre in Lagos called the NSIA LUTH Cancer Centre and also operate two diagnostic centres located in Umuahia and Kano respectively. Added to these, we are in the process of opening additional centres in 24 States of the country over the next 3 years covering oncology, diagnostics and catheterizati — on labs. The significance of this is that NSIA is helping to put structures in place to ensure that the voids in diagnostics, preventive medicine, and healthcare management are being filled.

“NSIA has similarly deployed its investment in the financial services sector through the creation of catalytic financial services companies such as the Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company, the Development Bank of Nigeria, the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company Ltd and Family Homes Fund Ltd amongst others.”

Also, Ikemefuna who is the chairman of the launch event for the NSIA prize for innovation said the Authority is committed to playing a leading role in advancing climate solutions that would reduce Nigeria’s carbon emissions.

It was gathered that recently, NSIA and Vitol, an energy and commodities trader, created a US$50 million fund for sustainable projects that will deliver lower carbon emission results while offering socio-economic benefits. The fund will invest exclusively in projects in Nigeria, partnering with credible local NGOs. It seeks to mobilise voluntary carbon capital from partners and potential third parties in a critical step toward a more equitable energy transition for Africa.

In a related development, the MD and CEO NSIA at the event, Mr. Aminu Umar – Sadi during his opening remark disclosed that it would come to a time Nigerian tech companies ascend to global relevance and dominance within the next decade.

He said Nigerian film and music industry are already tracking in the direction.

According to him, “It is time for our technology and innovation sector to deliver a similar trajectory.

“So today, we welcome you all to the beginning of a distinct approach for stimulating change in the domestic digital ecosystem. As we launch the NSIA Prize for Innovation, we eagerly look forward to seeing entries from disruptors, creators, and trailblazers driving a new vision for innovation in Nigeria.

“For centuries, prizes in various fields of human endeavour have serve d both as a reward and tool of encouragement for ideas that solve critical challenges for the human race. In modern times, it has helped to nurture novel ideas and ingenious innovation in science, technology, and many other fields. This is our rationale for choosing to leverage this tool to stimulate developments in Nigeria’s fast-growing digital ecosystem.

“We will commence the programme by opening the innovation prize application portal in short order. Once opened, we expect to receive a flurry of high-quality entries reflective of Nigerian ingenuity. From these, eligible participants who qualify for the accelerator will gain access to knowledge and insights that will enable their ideas to scale. Beyond the selection of a winning entry, the programme is designed to inspire and challenge participating technopreneurs to build well-designed strategies that connect new ideas and concepts to the market.”