Business

UBA Champions Diaspora Healthcare Investment at ANPA America Symposium

Published

2 months ago

May 23, 2026

Preport

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening diaspora engagement, advancing healthcare development in Nigeria through the introduction of its healthcare investment proposition to the Nigerian-American medical community at the 2026 ANPA Carolinas Symposium held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The ANPA Carolinas Symposium, hosted annually by the South Carolina and North Carolina Chapters of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), convenes over 170 physicians and healthcare professionals for medical and scientific dialogue on issues impacting communities across North America, the Caribbean, and Africa, particularly among people of Nigerian descent.

Speaking at the event, UBA’s Head of Diaspora Banking, Anant Rao, made a compelling case for structured diaspora participation in Nigeria’s healthcare transformation, encouraging attendees to expand their contribution beyond remittances toward long-term institution-building.

“The financial infrastructure required to connect your success abroad to sustainable institutional impact at home has not been intentionally designed for diaspora healthcare investors until now,” Rao said.

During his presentation, Rao introduced the ANPA–UBA Diaspora Healthcare Investment Platform — a professionally managed investment vehicle designed to channel diaspora capital into specialist hospitals, diagnostic centres, telemedicine infrastructure, and medical training institutions across Nigeria.

“Every dollar invested delivers a dual return — creating value for investors while contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s healthcare future. We now have the regulatory framework, banking infrastructure, governance structures, and institutional commitment to make this possible,” he added.

Under the proposed structure, UBA will serve as custodian and structuring bank, while United Capital Asset Management, one of Nigeria’s leading asset managers with over ₦1.2 trillion in assets under management, will act as fund manager.

As part of deepening engagement with the Nigerian-American medical community, Rao also proposed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UBA and the two ANPA chapters. The proposed collaboration is anchored on six strategic pillars: preferred banking offerings for ANPA members; quarterly financial education sessions; the joint Healthcare Infrastructure Fund; a dedicated ANPA Wealth and Legacy Desk; access to group-rate family healthcare plans through Avon HMO; and a UBA co-matching contribution framework to support qualifying impact vehicles under the Pearl Endowment Fund.

The initiative represents a further expansion of UBA’s diaspora value proposition, which currently includes Non-Resident Nigerian (NRN) accounts in multiple currencies, fixed-income and dollar-denominated investment solutions through United Capital, elder-care trust solutions under the Homeland Anchor Care Trust programme in partnership with Avon HMO, and private wealth management offerings tailored to senior diaspora professionals.

The 2026 ANPA Carolinas Symposium marks another milestone in UBA’s strategic engagement with the diaspora community and reinforces the Bank’s long-held belief that diaspora capital can play a transformative role in accelerating healthcare and infrastructure development across Africa.

The post UBA Champions Diaspora Healthcare Investment at ANPA America Symposium appeared first on Business Today NG.

Related Topics:America ANPA champions Diaspora healthcare investment Symposium UBA

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Nigeria’s Housing Agenda Must Prioritise Risk Protection – Fayemi

Published

8 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Preport

The Managing Director/CEO of Heirs General Insurance,Wole Fayemi, has challenged h policymakers, developers, financiers, and homeowners in the real estate industry o rethink the country’s housing agenda by placing risk protection at the centre of national conversations.

Speaking at the recently concluded 20th Africa International Housing Show as a panelist, Fayemi argued that increasing the supply of homes, while essential, will never be sufficient if the homes themselves remain vulnerable to preventable risks.

“A housing policy that focuses solely on construction is incomplete. The true measure of success is not only the number of homes we build, but how effectively we protect the people, investments and communities those homes represent.

“As Nigeria intensifies efforts to bridge its housing deficit, one critical question continues to receive far less attention than it deserves: what happens after the keys are handed over?

Fayemi’s remarks come against the backdrop of recurring building collapses across Nigeria, incidents that have resulted in the tragic loss of lives in thousands, significant economic waste, and declining public confidence in the built environment.

While regulatory reforms continue to evolve, Fayemi stressed that insurance must move from being viewed as a compliance requirement to becoming an integral pillar of responsible housing development.Referencing the recently introduced NIIRA Act, 2025, he noted that both developers and occupiers have a critical responsibility to insure properties, not merely to satisfy legal obligations, but to strengthen resilience across the housing ecosystem.

“Every building represents years of investment, aspiration and sacrifice,” he said.

“When those assets are left uninsured, the consequences extend far beyond individual property owners. Families are displaced, businesses are disrupted, financial institutions are exposed and national development suffers.”

Fayemi further observed that achieving affordable housing requires stronger collaboration across government, regulators, developers, insurers, financial institutions, and ultimate beneficiaries – the homeowners.

According to him, integrating insurance into housing finance and development from the outset will improve investors’ confidence, encourage more sustainable developments, and help create communities that can better withstand unforeseen events.

He also called for greater public awareness of the role insurance plays in wealth preservation and economic stability, noting that many Nigerians continue to view insurance as an afterthought rather than a strategic safeguard.

“Insurance should not begin when disaster strikes; it should begin when plans are being drawn,” he said.

“If we are serious about creating sustainable cities and protecting the wealth of future generations, then insurance must become part of every housing conversation.

“As Nigeria continues to pursue ambitious housing initiatives, Fayemi believes the conversation must evolve beyond the number of housing units delivered to the long-term resilience of the assets being created.

The question, he suggested, is no longer whether Nigeria can build more homes. It is whether the nation is equally committed to protecting them.

The post Nigeria’s Housing Agenda Must Prioritise Risk Protection – Fayemi appeared first on Business Today NG.

Business

PHOTO STORY: Keyamo inaugurates waste recycling programme, inspects upgraded pilgrims’ terminal at MMI, Lagos

Published

16 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Preport

WhatsApp Image 2026 07 23 at 11.30.50 1.jpeg

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has inaugurated the first phase of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria’s (FAAN) Sustainable Waste Management Programme and inspected the upgraded Pilgrims’ Terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

Mr Keyamo disclosed this on Thursday in a post on his official X page following the activities, which he conducted alongside the Chairman of the FAAN Board, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and the authority’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Olubunmi Kuku.

The minister stated that the waste management initiative introduces colour-coded recycling bins to encourage proper waste separation, describing it as the first phase of a nationwide programme to make Nigeria’s airports cleaner and more environmentally sustainable. According to him, the initiative reflects FAAN’s commitment to improving environmental practices across airports nationwide.

Following the inauguration, Mr Keyamo inspected the upgraded Pilgrims’ Terminal, which now features a 300-seat passenger waiting area, modern VIP and VVIP lounges, free high-speed Wi-Fi, a fully air-conditioned mosque, and enhanced screening and security systems.

He commended the management of FAAN for both projects and urged the authority to sustain the momentum.

“I commend the management of FAAN for these initiatives and encourage them to keep up the tempo in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the minister said.

In a separate statement, FAAN described the waste management programme as a significant step towards building cleaner, greener, and more sustainable airports across the country.

The authority urged passengers and other airport users to support the initiative by disposing of waste in the designated recycling bins.

“As you travel, your small actions can make a big difference. Dispose of your waste in the right bin, support recycling, and help us create an airport environment we’re all proud of,” FAAN stated.

These initiatives arrive as the federal government continues efforts to modernise airport infrastructure and improve service delivery across Nigeria’s aviation sector.

The Pilgrims’ Terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport serves as one of the country’s major departure points for Muslim pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah. Upgrading the facility is expected to improve passenger comfort, ease the movement of travellers during peak pilgrimage periods, and enhance security screening and other airport services.

READ ALSO: Keyamo speaks on China-Enugu cargo flights

Similarly, the introduction of the Sustainable Waste Management Programme reflects a growing emphasis on environmental sustainability in airport operations. Globally, airports are increasingly adopting waste segregation and recycling systems as part of broader efforts to improve sanitation, reduce pollution, and align with international sustainability standards.

FAAN stated that the colour-coded recycling bins introduced at MMIA represent the first phase of a nationwide rollout, with the programme expected to encourage responsible waste disposal and foster cleaner airport environments across Nigeria.