A Nigerian professional forum in the U.S. have put measures in place to attract an estimated $3 billion investment into the Nigerian economy in the next three years.
The Nigerian American Business Forum (NABF) stated at its 2019 Investment Conference with the theme: Entrepreneurship in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities at Tampa, Florida.
The President of the forum, Mr Kenneth Shobola, said the forum aimed to impact the wealth of experience of accomplished Nigerian Diasporas for the rapid development of their homeland.
Shobola said: We are attracting a $3 billion investment over a three-year period. We have already identified some areas where there’s deficiencies such as healthcare.
We know there are opportunities to stem this scourge of medical tourism by looking at dilapidated hospitals or healthcare establishments that need restructuring and administrative services in addition to bringing experts in to run such facilities the way we do that here in the U.S.
We are looking at establishing and integrating the most current diagnostics techniques and treatments options based on the expertise we have here in the United States.
Some experts such as cardiologists, neurologists, ophthalmologist, surgical interventions in the areas of cancer, diabetes and a lot of the common diseases that tend to plague our people.
So I’m very excited about what we can do in the energy space as well and those types of areas where there are numerous opportunities for intervention as the diasporas.
Overall, our goal is to get to 100 per cent of youth employment; we have massive youth unemployment at this stage, our goal is to continue to do what we are doing to attain 100 per cent youth employment.
Its a tall order but we believe that the diasporas intervening along complementing the efforts of government and the private sector in Nigeria, I believe we can get there.
Dr David Ikudayisi, a geriatric medicine doctor at Glory Medical Clinic, said Nigeria could soon become the medical tourism capital through the regenerative medicine and hormone replacement therapy specialisations.
Ikudayisi said: Why should Nigerians travel to India to seek medical attention? Can you imagine Nigeria being the cancer treatment capital of Africa?
Regenerative medicine can help address health challenges in Nigeria. The wealth of a nation can be measured by the health of the citizens. Nigeria has poor health indices.