In a significant move to address the rising cost of medications in Nigeria, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the establishment of a centralised procurement platform named Medipool.
The platform is designed to aggregate the demand for essential medicines across the country, enabling the government to negotiate better prices and ensure wider access to quality healthcare products.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, announced the approval following the FEC meeting held on Monday, May 12, 2025. He explained that Medipool aims to leverage the government’s purchasing power to lower drug prices while supporting local pharmaceutical manufacturers.
The platform will operate through a public-private partnership model to ensure transparency and efficiency in the procurement and distribution of medical supplies.
Medipool’s functions will include procurement planning, distribution monitoring, supply chain logistics management, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and financial management.
The platform will also focus on capacity building and contingency planning to maintain a consistent supply of essential drugs. This initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s executive order signed in June 2024, which provided incentives for local manufacturing by removing tax tariffs on the importation of raw materials.
According to the Minister, Medipool has been thoroughly vetted by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and benchmarked against similar group purchasing organisations in countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.
The government expects that the platform will not only reduce drug costs but also improve the quality of healthcare services and encourage local pharmaceutical production.
In addition to approving Medipool, the FEC has also sanctioned the procurement and installation of a cardiac catheterisation machine valued at ₦2.3 billion for the Usman Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto.
This equipment will significantly enhance the hospital’s capacity to diagnose and treat heart and blood vessel conditions, benefiting patients within Sokoto State and the broader North West region.
These initiatives reflect the government’s ongoing commitment to improving healthcare accessibility and affordability for Nigerians, particularly as medication costs continue to rise.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
