Africa’s Richest Man Helps Lead Nigeria Charge Against Covid-19

(Bloomberg) --

Access Bank Plc, Nigeria’s biggest lender by assets, is teaming up with Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote to provide treatment and isolation centers across Africa’s most populous nation as it braces for the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Nigeria has recorded 65 cases of the Covid-19 virus, including one fatality. There are fears the spread could become exponential if community infections aren’t curtailed due to poor health facilities in the West African nation. Less than 500 people have been tested and the government is tracing 4,370 persons that have made some contact with confirmed virus cases, the ministry of health said on Thursday.

The facilities, which will be located across the country of more than 200 million people with a total of 1,000 beds, will be ready within weeks, Access Bank said Thursday in an emailed statement. They will have Chinese experts and serve as testing, isolation, treatment and training centers, the lender added.

United Bank for Africa Plc, another leading Nigerian lender, said it will donate about 5 billion naira ($13 million) toward providing assistance to the country and 19 others across Africa to support their governments in combating the viral infection.

Atlas Mara-backed Union Bank has also partnered with 54gene, a U.S.-based genetic research company, using a $500,000 funding facility to increase Covid-19 testing capacity in Nigeria to 1,000 daily. 54gene launched the testing support fund with $150,000 to secure instruments and protective equipment needed to keep health-care workers safe. The company aims to increase rate of testing in Nigeria to 5,000 tests daily working with other partners.

State-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation announced on Friday a donation of $30 million from the oil industry to support the fight against the virus.

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