President Bola Tinubu stated that a fundamental transformation has been achieved in empowering citizens and fostering thriving enterprises, with over 100,000 Nigerians accessing the new national consumer credit scheme.
He made the statement on Friday in Abuja at the 32nd Annual Meetings of the Afreximbank, where he conferred a national honour, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), on outgoing President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export-Import Bank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, for his outstanding contributions to the development of Africa, particularly prioritising Nigeria’s interests.
According to the president, 400,000 more Nigerians have been added to the queue for the next phase of the scheme.
“Our landmark student loan programme ensures no child is denied higher education due to financial hardship.
“We have spent 45.9 billion naira in healthcare to upgrade 8,800 primary health centres, improving maternal care and diagnostics in neglected communities. We are deploying thousands of fibre-optic cables to promote digital inclusion, bridging connectivity gaps and powering innovation.
Over 279 roads have been completed as part of the infrastructure, with 65 under construction and 260 rural road interventions executed. Major arteries like the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway and the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Road are reshaping national logistics and regional integration,” the president stated.
In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu expressed appreciation for Oramah’s leadership role in expanding trade on the continent by leveraging opportunities, integrating and streamlining payment systems, and facilitating development projects for both the private and public sectors.
“Today is your day, Prof. Oramah. I have listened to the accounts and reports you read eloquently, which also consist of lessons for us, your friends.
“I have the honour and privilege of conferring on you one of the highest recognitions of our country, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON),” he said.
President Tinubu noted that this year’s meeting, “Building the Future on Decades of Resilience”, was timely and profound.
“Afrexim Bank, under Professor Benedict Oramah’s steadfast leadership, has grown its assets from 5 billion dollars to over 37 billion dollars. His decade of leadership saw the bank champion Africa’s pandemic response, drive industrialisation, and support the AfCFTA and the continent’s creative economy. His legacy is one of generational impact,” he added.
Prof. Oramah, who was one of the pioneering leaders of the institution in 1993, served as President/Chairman of the Bank for ten years, with record interventions in facilitating funds for 400 million vaccines to halt the spread of Covid-19 in Africa, supporting agricultural development, healthcare projects and energy, including the Dangote Refinery.