Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, says
the country’s apex bank “is developing a framework” through which
it can provide financial support to achieve a Nigerian COVID-19
vaccine.
Mr Emefiele said this at the unveiling of the THISDAY Dome
testing, tracing, and treatment centre on Tuesday in Abuja.
The THISDAY Dome is expected to improve health facilities
available to combat the viral disease.
On Monday, Nigeria recorded 242 new cases of the novel
coronavirus, bringing its total infections to 4,641, according to
the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The country has also recorded at least 150 deaths as a result of
the virus.
“Needless to state that if we are to wait for foreign countries
to develop their own vaccines, we will be the last in the queue to
receive curative remedies for our teeming population,” Mr. Emefiele
said.
He said the framework will involve grants and long term
facilities that will be provided to “researchers, science
institutions and biotechnology firms to develop the Nigerian
Vaccine.”
Mr Emefiele said the CBN recently launched an N100bn healthcare
intervention fund.
“Practitioners in the Pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors will
be able to access finance at a single-digit rate through this
fund,” he explained.
In a bid to cushion the effects of the pandemic on the Nigerian
economy, the CBN has implemented several initiatives such as the
provision of one trillion naira facility for firms operating in the
agriculture and manufacturing sectors, Mr. Emefiele said.
“We are also working with financial institutions to enable the
continuous flow of credit to viable businesses while putting in
place provisions such as moratoriums and restructuring of existing
loans under CBN intervention funds, that have been provided to
businesses,” he added.
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, says
the country’s apex bank “is developing a framework” through which
it can provide financial support to achieve a Nigerian COVID-19
vaccine.
Mr Emefiele said this at the unveiling of the THISDAY Dome
testing, tracing, and treatment centre on Tuesday in Abuja.
The THISDAY Dome is expected to improve health facilities
available to combat the viral disease.
On Monday, Nigeria recorded 242 new cases of the novel
coronavirus, bringing its total infections to 4,641, according to
the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The country has also recorded at least 150 deaths as a result of
the virus.
“Needless to state that if we are to wait for foreign countries
to develop their own vaccines, we will be the last in the queue to
receive curative remedies for our teeming population,” Mr. Emefiele
said.
He said the framework will involve grants and long term
facilities that will be provided to “researchers, science
institutions and biotechnology firms to develop the Nigerian
Vaccine.”
Mr Emefiele said the CBN recently launched an N100bn healthcare
intervention fund.
“Practitioners in the Pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors will
be able to access finance at a single-digit rate through this
fund,” he explained.
In a bid to cushion the effects of the pandemic on the Nigerian
economy, the CBN has implemented several initiatives such as the
provision of one trillion naira facility for firms operating in the
agriculture and manufacturing sectors, Mr. Emefiele said.
“We are also working with financial institutions to enable the
continuous flow of credit to viable businesses while putting in
place provisions such as moratoriums and restructuring of existing
loans under CBN intervention funds, that have been provided to
businesses,” he added.