The Report
As reported by BusinessDay journalist Ota Akhigbe, a key takeaway from the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali was a fundamental shift in how African organisations, particularly in public health, are being evaluated. The conversation is moving beyond traditional aid readiness and grant management toward a focus on scalable systems, operational resilience, and long-term investability. The core question is no longer simply whether an organisation can deliver a programme, but whether it can build a scalable system that institutional capital can confidently engage with. Akhigbe notes that capital is not always the primary constraint anymore; packaging—the ability to translate operational delivery into structures that capital markets, governments, and infrastructure actors can trust—is becoming the critical factor.
The article highlights a growing convergence across sectors, with banks, health leaders, technology companies, and investors now sharing the same conversations about interconnected systems. This shift is driven by tightening official development assistance globally and a growing interest in blended finance, catalytic capital, and country-led growth models. The piece argues that African institutions with proven operational credibility in difficult environments are now well-positioned to participate in larger conversations around systems, infrastructure, and long-term value creation.
Nigeria Time News Analysis
From a Nigerian policy perspective, this analysis resonates deeply with the country’s ongoing struggle to build resilient health systems amid chronic underfunding and fragmented donor-driven projects. The shift from a project-based to a platform-based approach is particularly relevant for Nigeria, where the National Health Act and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) have attempted to create a more sustainable, domestically financed health architecture. The challenge, as Akhigbe frames it, is not just about securing more funds but about creating the institutional and operational infrastructure that can absorb and deploy capital efficiently. For Nigeria, this means strengthening state-level primary healthcare systems, integrating digital health records, and building logistics networks that can withstand supply chain disruptions—a lesson painfully learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 fuel subsidy removal.
Looking at the broader ECOWAS implications, the analysis underscores a regional imperative: health security is no longer a standalone sector but a function of interconnected systems. The recent resurgence of mpox (formerly monkeypox) and the persistent threat of Lassa fever across West Africa demonstrate that fragmented, aid-dependent responses are insufficient. The region’s health systems must be linked to energy access (to power cold chains and medical equipment), digital infrastructure (for surveillance and telemedicine), and climate resilience (to mitigate the health impacts of flooding and heatwaves). The Africa CEO Forum’s convergence of sectors suggests that ECOWAS states and the West African Health Organization (WAHO) should prioritise regional platforms for pooled procurement, shared logistics, and cross-border data sharing, rather than relying solely on individual country projects.
For the Nigerian diaspora, this shift presents a dual opportunity. First, it opens avenues for diaspora investment not just in charitable health projects but in scalable health-tech startups, diagnostic platforms, and pharmaceutical manufacturing ventures that can attract institutional capital. Second, it reframes the diaspora’s role from remittance senders to strategic partners in building the operational infrastructure that Akhigbe describes—whether through expertise in health systems management, digital health innovation, or blended finance structuring. The growing interest in country-led growth models also means that diaspora-led initiatives can more effectively align with government priorities, such as the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), which seeks to mobilise both domestic and international capital for health system strengthening.
Against this backdrop, the article’s emphasis on “packaging” over capital is a critical insight for Nigerian policymakers and business leaders. It suggests that the next frontier for health development in Nigeria is not just about attracting more foreign aid or private investment, but about creating the institutional frameworks, data systems, and operational track records that make investment viable. This includes strengthening the regulatory environment for health-tech, improving the creditworthiness of state-level health agencies, and developing standardised metrics for measuring health system performance. The convergence of sectors at the Africa CEO Forum signals that the private sector, from banks to technology companies, is ready to engage—but only if the public sector can provide the enabling environment and the operational proof that Akhigbe champions.
Regional Context
Historically, Africa’s health development has been shaped by vertical, donor-funded programmes targeting specific diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. While these programmes achieved significant gains, they often created parallel systems that were not integrated into national health systems, leading to sustainability challenges when donor funding shifted. The current global tightening of official development assistance, coupled with the fiscal pressures on major donor governments, is accelerating the need for a new model. The rise of blended finance and impact investing in Africa, particularly through institutions like the African Development Bank and the Africa Finance Corporation, offers a pathway to bridge the gap between philanthropic aid and commercial capital. However, as Akhigbe notes, the success of this model depends on African institutions’ ability to demonstrate operational resilience and system-level thinking, moving beyond the project cycle to build infrastructure that can endure under pressure.
Original Reporting By: BusinessDay