The North-East Development Commission (NEDC) has highlighted critical gaps in healthcare infrastructure across Nigeria’s northeastern states, revealing that the entire region of approximately 30 million people is served by just one outdated MRI machine.
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The alarming situation was disclosed by NEDC Managing Director Mr. Muhammed Alkali, during an interaction session with the Ministry of Regional Development and board members in Abuja on Thursday.
“The only available MRI machine is 15 years old, which is just as good as non-functional,” Alkali said. “We want to look at the health situation in the region, and we have made a lot of mapping across all health institutions in the Northeast. There are a lot of gaps in the healthcare system.”
To address these deficiencies, the Commission plans to establish centres of medical excellence throughout the region, with specialised facilities in different states. “We want to have a centre in Gombe that will take care of heart disease patients, a centre in Taraba that will take care of internal medicine, and so on,” Alkali explained.
The Commission is also taking immediate action to provide one new MRI machine for each state in the region. Alkali noted that these facilities would serve not only northeastern states but neighbouring regions as well.
During the session, Alkali unveiled a comprehensive master plan aimed at transforming the region by 2030. With an estimated implementation cost of $80 billion (over N31 trillion), the plan is structured into four strategic phases: Stabilisation (2020-2022), Renewal (2022-2024), Expansion (2024-2026), and Sustainable Growth (2026-2030).
The plan encompasses 11 pillars, including peaceful society, leadership in agriculture, health, education, infrastructure, and regional integration. Key initiatives include introducing e-mobility, rehabilitating critical infrastructure like bridges, and establishing regional transport systems, including airlines and railways.
Minister of Regional Development Abubakar Momoh urged the NEDC to prioritise impactful projects with reasonable completion timeframes. “Avoid overextending on initiatives that may not be deliverable,” the minister advised, while encouraging investment in critical sectors such as transportation and healthcare.
Momoh also suggested that the Commission consider establishing an investment corporation to ensure sustainable funding for ongoing and future projects and stated the importance of transparency and publicising achievements.
NEDC Board Chairman, retired Maj.-Gen. Paul Tarfa expressed appreciation for the collaborative platform and reaffirmed the Commission’s dedication to working with partners. He highlighted the alignment of the Commission’s efforts with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on inclusive growth and sustainable development.
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