Linus Aleke in Abuja
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has favoured public-private partnership (PPP) as the most appropriate approach to achieving the noble objective of modernising healthcare facilities owned and managed by the Nigerian Army.
The Army Chief made this known when he received a high-level delegation led by the former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (rtd), at Army Headquarters for discussions on strategic collaboration to strengthen healthcare delivery and infrastructure in the Nigerian Army.
According to a statement by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Apollonia Anele, the delegation comprised key partners from the private sector and international diplomatic community.
Colonel Anele said the engagement explored opportunities for a sustainable PPP aimed at developing and modernising Nigerian Army healthcare facilities.
She stressed that: “Areas of potential collaboration include the development and upgrading of hospitals, provision of modern medical equipment, pharmaceutical support and deployment of digital health solutions across all Army establishments.”
This initiative, she said, is expected to enhance the capacity, accessibility and resilience of Army medical facilities in meeting the healthcare needs of personnel and their families.
Lieutenant General Shaibu stated that the health and wellbeing of personnel and their families remain central to his ‘Soldier First’ concept and are critical to the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.
He noted that sustained investment in quality healthcare directly supports his command philosophy of advancing the transformation of the Nigerian Army into a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force capable of decisively discharging its constitutional responsibilities within a joint and multi-agency environment.
The COAS further stressed that a healthy, motivated and well-supported force is fundamental to operational readiness, morale and sustained effectiveness.
He therefore welcomed credible partnerships capable of providing investment, expertise, technology and innovative healthcare solutions that would complement government efforts and deliver sustainable benefits to Nigerian Army personnel and their families.
Meanwhile, Honey Star Resources Limited was represented by its Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Hamisu Tukur Buratai, and Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Abduljabbar Kolo.
Also present were representatives of M&P, led by Ambassador Achraf Ibrahim, a former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, and Elevate Egypt, represented by Mr Ahmed Tarek.
The League of African Ambassadors was represented by its President, Ambassador Nwanne Omihe, alongside Ambassador Ijeoma.
The proposed partnership underscores the Nigerian Army’s commitment to leveraging credible private-sector expertise and investment to strengthen personnel welfare and modernise critical healthcare infrastructure.
With the combined capabilities of Honey Star Resources, M&P and Elevate Egypt, as well as the diplomatic support of the League of African Ambassadors, the collaboration represents another significant step towards building a more resilient healthcare system that supports troops, enhances operational readiness and strengthens the Army’s capacity to respond effectively to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.