Rivers set to become major medical hub in Africa with $145m NICOWA project

From Tony John, Port Harcourt

The Director of Medical Services, Rivers State Ministry of Health and Permanent Secretary-designate, Dr Wachukwu Worgu, has declared that the state will be a major medical hub in Nigeria and Africa, with massive investments in the health sector by the government and other concerned establishments.

Worgu stated this while commending the $145 million investment in the health sector by the Nigerian Correctional Officers’ Wives Association (NICOWA), in collaboration with Bokolo HSIC Group Limited, for commencing the construction of a 120-bed state-of-the-art hospital alongside an ultra-modern patient guest house in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Worgu noted that the project would complement ongoing efforts by the Rivers State government to strengthen the healthcare sector.

He assured that the Ministry of Health and medical practitioners in the state would support the project to ensure its successful completion.

Worgu added that the initiative would significantly contribute to improving healthcare delivery in Rivers State, the South-South region, and beyond.

He expressed: “We have seen what the Rivers State Government is doing in the health sector — building and equipping new hospitals with world-class medical facilities. This kind of project (Medical Village) will further position Rivers State as a major medical hub in Nigeria and Africa.”

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the President of NICOWA, Mrs Victoria Nwakuche, described the project as a landmark initiative aimed at improving healthcare access for correctional officers’ families and the wider community.

She said the medical village project represents a legacy of healthcare, hope and humanity.

Nwakuche noted that the association has remained committed to improving the welfare of its members, stressing that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental need.

She said: “The groundbreaking ceremony of the Medical Village lays the foundation for a legacy of health, hope and humanity. Today, as we break ground, we are laying the foundation for a future that prioritizes quality healthcare for our families and communities,” she said.

“This modern diagnostic centre and its auxiliary services are the fulfilment of that vision. Through our partnership with Bokolo Group, we are bringing the Medical Village to life — a facility designed to provide comprehensive diagnostic and clinical services under one roof.”

She also expressed appreciation to the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service for his support in creating an enabling environment for the project.

In his remarks, the Group Managing Director of Bokolo HSIC Group Limited, Dr Bonsome Bokolo, said the $145 million healthcare project was designed to reduce medical tourism in Nigeria and across West Africa.

Bokolo explained that the facility would be a 10-storey building, including an underground floor, designed to combine comfort with advanced medical treatment.

“This healthcare project aims to reduce medical tourism by creating a one-stop destination for both foreign and domestic patients. The project will cost about $145 million and is expected to be completed within three years.

“It is designed as a healthcare space where patients can receive treatment in comfort. It will serve as a one-stop destination for foreign and local patients seeking specialised care,” he said.

He further disclosed that the developers have engaged the Rivers State Government and the Federal Ministry of Health for support toward the project.