By Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged the private sector to play a bigger role in Nigeria’s healthcare reforms. He spoke at the commissioning of the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Trauma Centre in Sagamu, Ogun State, on Saturday.
In a statement by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to fixing health sector gaps through partnerships and investments.
He stressed that government alone cannot tackle the challenge. “The private sector has a very crucial role to play because the government alone cannot shoulder this burden,” he said. Shettima called the new trauma centre a vital boost to emergency care and a sign of the government’s focus on saving lives.
Shettima shared President Bola Tinubu’s health plans. “President Bola Tinubu has approved a comprehensive Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, including the creation of over 8,800 new Primary Healthcare Centres across the country and the upgrade of existing tertiary institutions to handle trauma, oncology, and infectious disease control,” he revealed.
He praised the centre’s importance. “In a nation facing rising urbanisation, motorisation, and industrial risks, trauma care is no longer optional—it is essential,” Shettima said. “This centre is more than a birthday gift; it is a gift to humanity. It is a lifeline—a sanctuary where the wounded can find healing, and where families in despair can find hope.”
He encouraged more private efforts. “I commend the Adegunwa family’s initiative, urging more philanthropists and corporate organisations to rise beyond personal achievement and invest in nation-building,” he added. The centre, built by the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Foundation at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, supports the government’s healthcare overhaul.
Shettima outlined further reforms. “The Administration is investing in a National Health Insurance Scheme that leaves no Nigerian behind, and a Digital Health Information Management System that ensures data drives diagnosis and delivery,” he stated. The event also marked the 80th birthday of Alhaji Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, ex-chairman of Sterling Bank Plc and CEO of Essay Holdings Limited.
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun hailed Adegunwa as “a philanthropist, entrepreneur and an astute businessman.” He said, “In 2019 when I assumed office, this university was on its knees. It was like a ghost town; nobody came here for medical attention.” Abiodun credited reforms, including a new hospital board, for the progress seen today.
Adegunwa reflected on his giving. “Right from my 56th birthday I had made a promise to give back to my community and impact as many lives as possible,” he said. He recalled donating an audio centre in 1995 and now this trauma facility, tied to his long connection with the university.
Dr Kunle Hassan, Chairman of the hospital’s board, said the centre will improve emergency care and healthcare quality. “We had a budget of N800 million and instead of N800 million, he (Adegunwa) spent over N2 billion to build and equip the facility,” he noted.
The Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Adéwálé Àjàyí, praised Adegunwa but sought more federal support. “We need a lot of federal presence in Remoland. As of today, there is no single federal university or federal polytechnic in Remoland,” he told Shettima.