North East Development Commission (NEDC) has commissioned a state-of-the-art Fertility Care Centre at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), a landmark project expected to transform access to reproductive healthcare in Borno State and the wider North-East region.
The facility, completed in May 2026, was officially inaugurated on Tuesday by the Minister of State for Regional Development, Hon. Uba Ahmadu Maigari.
The centre is one of the few fertility facilities located within a public health institution in the North-East, providing affordable assisted reproductive services to families who previously had to travel to Lagos, Abuja or even overseas for treatment.
According to a statement issued by the Manager, Communication Strategy of the NEDC in Maiduguri, the project was conceived to bridge the gap in access to specialised reproductive healthcare and reduce the financial burden on couples seeking fertility treatment.
The statement noted that many families had abandoned hopes of having children because they could not afford the high cost of travelling outside the region for fertility services.
The commission said it fully financed the construction of the modern fertility centre and equipped it with world-class medical technology comparable to international standards.
Among the specialised equipment installed are an Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) machine, incubators, oxygen concentrators, sperm processing equipment, advanced laboratory facilities, and complete surgical and diagnostic tools valued at billions of naira.
To ensure uninterrupted healthcare delivery, the NEDC also provided a dedicated solar power system for the facility.
In addition to the medical equipment, the commission furnished the centre with modern furniture, fully equipped delivery en-suite wards, offices and other support infrastructure.
The statement further disclosed that pioneer healthcare workers from UMTH received intensive specialist training sponsored by the commission to ensure they possess the expertise required to operate the sophisticated equipment.
According to the commission, the fertility centre is ready to begin receiving patients immediately, offering affordable, high-quality fertility treatment within the region.
The project is also expected to eliminate the need for expensive medical trips outside the North-East while restoring hope to families struggling with infertility.
Beyond the fertility centre, the NEDC highlighted several other healthcare interventions at UMTH, including the supply of life-saving medical equipment and the rehabilitation of critical health infrastructure.
The interventions include the provision of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines, CT scanners, digital X-ray systems, mammography equipment and dialysis machines.
The commission also disclosed that it has procured eight state-of-the-art MRI machines for deployment across the North-East and supplied ophthalmic equipment worth over ₦3 billion to the Maiduguri Eye and Dental Hospital.
It added that several major health projects are ongoing across the region as part of its commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and improving access to quality medical services for residents.
