Tunde Ayeye, managing director of International Facilities Services Lagos, has advocated for innovative financing models to solve challenges in Nigeria’s health sector.

Mr Ayeye made the call during his paper presentation at the ninth Kola Olafimihan College of Health Sciences Endowed Lecture at the University of Ilorin on Thursday.

Mr Ayeye highlighted that financing models, such as Real Estate Investment Trusts, could drive sustainable funding for the health sector.

He stressed the need for a holistic approach, suggesting that communities should be viewed as ecosystems where preventive care, early intervention, and education are central to health policies.

“Healthcare must transcend its current boundaries, becoming not just a service but an economic catalyst. By transforming healthcare services into engines of economic growth, we can create jobs, attract investment, and foster a thriving health industry,” he said.

He also called for rediscovering public-private partnerships in healthcare, a new health economy, and strategies to turn brain drain into brain gain.

Suleiman Alabi, provost of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Ilorin, pointed out the global economic downturn and emphasised that Nigeria was not immune.

“We need to find ways to ensure quality healthcare in spite of the current economic climate. The government has an essential role to play, particularly in improving health insurance,” Mr Alabi said.

Mr Alabi commended the government for initiatives like the Kwara-Care health insurance programme but noted that more people across Nigeria needed to be included in health insurance schemes.

In her response, Mobolaji Adeniyi, daughter of the late Kola Olafimihan, described her father as a distinguished medical elder and praised the University of Ilorin for organising the endowment lecture in his memory.

(NAN)