The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, said on Monday the apex bank had funded about 20 projects valued at ₦26.278 under its credit support intervention for the healthcare industry scheme.
Emefiele, who disclosed at the inauguration of the Board of Experts of the Healthcare Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme in Abuja, added that CBN had received over 27 proposals from researchers requesting for ₦67billion grant.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who was also at the event, said Nigeria risked another pandemic if the government failed to take advantage of the opportunities presented by COVID-19 to develop its health infrastructure.
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According to him, the pandemic had exposed the weaknesses in the nation’s health system, governance system, security infrastructure, inclusiveness and creation of social safety nets for citizens.
On the projects, Emefiele said: “Currently, 20 projects valued at ₦26.278 billion have been funded under the ₦100 billion credit support intervention for the healthcare industry. Some of the firms that have been able to obtain funding include hospitals, research centres, and pharmaceutical industries.”
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