Nigeria has shown interest in getting at least 100 to 500 free ventilators from Elon Musk, a South African-born American entrepreneur and businessman.
Musk said his company Tesla is offering to pay for and ship the crucial medical component to hospitals around the world.
“We have extra FDA-approved ventilators. Will ship to hospitals worldwide within Tesla delivery regions. Device & shipping cost are free,” Musk tweeted.
“Only requirement is that the vents are needed immediately for patients, not stored in a warehouse,” he said.
Nigeria’s finance ministry, in a response to the tweet, tweeted for the support of the businessman requesting for the free ventilators.
“Dear @elonmusk @Tesla Federal Government of Nigeria needs support with 100-500 ventilators to assist with #Covid19 cases arising every day in Nigeria,” Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning tweeted.
It is not clear if the tweet was officially sanctioned. But it has since been deleted.
It is also unclear if Nigeria has any critical case of coronavirus that might need ventilators immediately as that is the condition at which the business is giving out the vents.