- House Speaker Tajudeen advocates increased investment in Nigeria’s health sector to curb medical tourism, save foreign exchange, and strengthen the naira
- Tajudeen urges collaboration with Turkish conglomerate First Surat Group to address healthcare challenges, emphasizing the potential for mutual benefits
House of Representatives Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, advocates heightened investments in Nigeria’s health sector to combat medical tourism and bolster foreign exchange reserves, thereby safeguarding the naira. The call was made during a meeting with a delegation from the First Surat Group of Companies, a Turkish conglomerate active in Nigeria, as disclosed by his special media adviser, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, on media and publicity.
Tajudeen expressed concern over the prevalent issue of medical tourism, emphasizing that numerous citizens seek healthcare abroad due to insufficient facilities domestically. He stated, “A significant number of the citizens of this country are going on medical tourism. If we can replicate what developed countries have here in Nigeria, we can save a lot of foreign exchange and preserve our naira.”
The Speaker underscored the pivotal role collaboration between Nigeria and Turkey could play in achieving mutual benefits, citing the importance of addressing the challenges in the health sector.
Commending the First Surat Group of Companies for its substantial contributions to Nigeria, Tajudeen urged the delegation to collaborate with the newly established Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility of the House.
During the meeting, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Yasar Ovenc, and his colleagues outlined the company’s activities in Nigeria over the past 27 years, particularly in the healthcare and education sectors. The discussions highlighted the potential for synergies between Nigerian officials and the Turkish conglomerate in addressing critical healthcare challenges and advancing mutual interests.