Korede Abdullah in Lagos
The Abia State Government has announced the commencement of its flagship healthcare project—the Abia Medical City—a world-class quaternary healthcare complex designed to reverse Nigeria’s costly medical tourism.
Health Commissioner Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche disclosed this during a media tour of the cleared 200-hectare site at Mbasaa, near Owerrinta in Isiala Ngwa South LGA.
“This Medical City is the first quaternary hospital in this country that would take care of all levels of complicated healthcare issues,” Uche said, describing it as one of Governor Alex Otti’s “landmark projects.”
He revealed that MKP International Holdings, a renowned global EPC consortium, would invest $1.3 billion to finance, build, and operate the facility.
Uche explained that the state’s contribution included land, security, and goodwill, while MKP would handle the entire development under a Build-Operate-Transfer model.
He emphasized the project’s economic and social significance, noting, “It is estimated that about $1.6 billion is lost from this country every year owing to medical tourism.”
With this initiative, Abia aims not only to retain that capital but to become a healthcare destination. “To reverse that and help curb the ‘jakpa’ syndrome, he (Governor Otti) envisioned the development of the first quaternary healthcare ecosystem in this country,” Uche added.
The proposed medical city will house a 1,000-bed ultramodern facility, a five-star step-down medical hotel, a tourist hotel, and specialized centers including oncology, radiotherapy, organ transplantation, pediatric care, and fertility treatment.
“You’re going to have an ultra-modern oncology centre… with the best-in-class medical experts from all parts of the globe,” Uche said.
He also highlighted advanced surgical capacities—ranging from robotic and laparoscopic procedures to cardiac and cosmetic surgeries.
The ecosystem will include research institutes, digital health hubs, and affiliations with leading U.S. universities, promising a revolution in Nigeria’s healthcare landscape.
