By Agatha Emeadi
The Chief Executive Officer of Finance, Investment and Trade (FIT) Consulting Group Limited, Chief Loretta Aniagolu, is the driving force behind the Turkish Lokman Hekim Group collaboration with FIT healthcare geared towards ending medical tourism in Nigeria.
With over 30 years in both financial consulting and real estate, Aniagolu is a reporter’s delight as she has written her name boldly in her chosen profession and career.
She is also the first daughter of the late Supreme Court judge, Anthony Aniagolu, who served as chief judge of Anambra State from 1976 to 1978.
In this exclusive interview with Sunday Sun, she spoke about her quest to end medical tourism in the country through partnering with the Turkish group.
Where were you before you came into FIT Consulting Limited?
Well, my career spans over 30 years from the banking sector. First of all, I started with AFRIBANK when it was called International Bank for West Africa (IBWA) or BIAO many years ago, fresh out from University of Jos, with a degree in Economics. From there, I travelled to the United States of America, had my Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and also worked with First Bank, Minneapolis, Minnesota, before I came back to Nigeria and became the coordinator for Economic Development and Economic adviser to Enugu State government. That I did for a few years and resigned from it, then started the Financial Consulting Firm. I did the developmental programme for Cross River State when former Governor Donald Duke-led government was on course, we were the firm that put together his developmental programme, also for Bayelsa and Taraba states. Since then, we have been till date.
Being the CEO of the FIT Group, talk about the collaboration with your Turkish partner, Lokman Hekim Group and FIT Health care to end health tourism in Nigeria.
It has actually been a long journey to this point knowing the situation in Nigeria is affecting a lot of possible collaborations because many companies that we wanted to come to Nigeria had their reservations, or rather look at other African countries. Therefore, we are excited to work with Lokman Hekim Group, not just because they are a big private healthcare company in Turkey, they are also on the University of Medicine; and, therefore, collaborating with them is instructive because their business model make sense to us. They have about nine hospitals they run in Turkey and other difficult areas like Iraq and Iran. So, since they can operate in such places, Nigeria will be easier. Our vision ultimately with the medical city, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria to be built in Enugu is to be the global standard reference for health care services in West Africa. We, not only hope to serve Nigerians, but the whole of West Africa who go through tortious processes to get visas, pay hugely to access medical tourism in India and other countries. It will be a world-class hospital that will provide world-class services with willingness to do so in Nigeria.
Did the collaboration start from being a real estate developer to where you are today?
The project is a conversation from another time, because there will be over 200 homes around the facility. We have to build a community around the hospital since we have a large piece of 1.2m sq meter of bush, we have to create a community where people would live. When a hospital is sited and built, people will feel comfortable and one would have already gotten a captive audience. Now, as a real estate developer, which is what FIT is, we are bringing a new perspective to the use and utilization of real estate services which actually accelerate the development and provision of infrastructure by providing and laying bare what collaboration means to extend to certain services. Therefore, the value we are adding to our business is to collaborate with the experts where we produce the real estate by doing purpose buildings, and experts running the desired businesses. We, therefore, have three areas of collaboration with Lokman Hekim Group in place. They include occasion transfer which will announce starting with the group as a perquisite to the operations of hospital operations in Nigeria. They need to understand the lifestyle and culture of Nigerians. Followed closely is a collaboration with medical schools in Enugu to work out an arrangement where medical doctors can go for an exchange programme. Medical students can also be trained in Turkey so by the time the hospital is ready, we have a pipeline of well-trained doctors who understand the culture of Lockman Hekim to apply efficient services.
What area of specialization will the medical tourism offer?
First of all, we do not have the hospital built yet, but it is coming up. What we are doing now is the health tourism site of it. Our partners need to understand Nigerians, so the ailments of people who are going to Turkey for treatment and we are making it seamless journey for them. For ailments, we are looking at the highest scariest like people who have mobility issues, replacement surgeries, cardiology, oncology, prostrate and breast cancers, which unfortunately, if there was early detection, most people would have survived. Then, we have different types of kidney issues and the cosmetic industry where we have a lot of people die from cosmetic surgery.
What should Nigerians expect from the collaboration and healthcare city?
For Nigerians, we have a partner who understands treating patients with dignity, looking at their culture, tradition and having respect for them. Lokman Hekim group has been where we are presently as Nigerians and rose from the debris to become world class healthcare givers. So, they understand what it means to be where we are today in Nigeria and can lead us to the right direction, which is what they have done and succeeded in their country. We are learning from those who have done it right and exceeded. Therefore, we want to do it with our Turkish partners who also got it right in their own way, and ask Nigerians to look forward to the first medical city in Nigeria. The only place we have similar thing is in India. We are doing it right, taking our time, being patient to make sure Nigerians would see that we have made a lot of sacrifices by picking the best from Turkey to Nigeria. I will encourage Nigerians to take the drive, if one can pay for private facilities, you can also pay for this to get proper health care from the medical city.
Apart from the proposed world class medical tourism in view come 2027; what other businesses are FIT Group into?
We are a financial advisory company and real estate developer taking real estate to add value. That is what we have done since its inception in 1992, coming through 2023. Now, we are looking at the hospitality, the first hotel we are getting through is the Hilton Group, and then the Lokman Hekim Hospital, a combination, and this medical tourism district would also have a school. One cannot have 1,000 people living without having at least a primary school. We are doing everything to make sure we meet international standards. There is actually a lot a real estate company can do because it will be difficult for doctors to bring in all their earning and build a hospital of this capacity to manage as well, it is very difficult. But if one partners with a real estate company which is also the model that Lokman Hekim has in Turkey, one would be surprised how many hospitals that could be built. It also means that one is unrestrained at the lines of businesses one can go into. That is exactly the idea we are bringing on the table for other real estate companies to join in helping out, because it will be a very fast way for Nigeria to grow up and build infrastructure; not just homes nor commercial property, some of these purpose building partnering with experts, so we can give Nigeria the best and bring development at a very fast pace.
How was your growing up like?
I am from Eke, in Udi LGA, Enugu State. I attended Santa Maria Primary School, Enugu and Queen of the Rosary Secondary School, Onitsha, then, Girls High School Awkunanaw where I did my secondary school certificate, then University of Jos, for my first degree, University of Harford in Connecticut for my Masters Degree. I have had short courses from Havard on privatization.
How were you able to put the home front together as a mother, wife and a busy financial/real estate consultant?
I have always liked to look at values of whatever I do. Well, for me studying Economics has a lot of theory making assumptions or when you look at the practicality of the society, you will be able to actually ask yourself, what value can you bring to this society. Coming in as an economic adviser and coordinator for economic development in Enugu State opened my eyes to what Nigeria needed, which is not money alone. One has to be organized and optimize the values of what it is that is available to be able to say this is where I will apply facts and that is what we have done. In my company, we look at the situation, we ask ourselves what is needed in the society and that is how and why I came into loving real estate.
Why do you love real estate?
It is wonderful fact that one will take something, create it and turn it into something else. But then, building houses for the people is not enough to accelerate development in Nigeria. The question is how do we take real estate to apply it to other areas that are badly needed? Why are there hospitals and schools? One sees the limits, but when a real estate company supports and encourages a doctor with a building, the doctor now provides services, then the difference will be seen.
I have heard you being called Chief Loretta, talk about your chieftaincy titles?
I actually have quite a few titles, one came from Yoruba land, which was given to me by the late Oladele Olashore who used to be the Minister of Finance because of consulting services which we provided for his community and advising them without charges, he appreciated and gave me the title ‘Yeye Tayeshe’ of Ijebu Ijesha (someone who improves on whatever she meets, and make it better.) Then, again I have in Nsukka, ‘Ada di na mba’ (a daughter who they have in another community) title.