The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the creation of Medipool, a national group purchasing organisation designed to lower the cost of essential pharmaceutical products and medical supplies in Nigeria.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists after the sixth FEC meeting of the year at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to Pate, the Medipool initiative will allow the federal government to use its large purchasing power to negotiate lower prices for drugs and other healthcare products, helping to make them more affordable for Nigerians.
“It’s a major step that uses the government’s strength as a bulk buyer to negotiate better deals and improve access to essential drugs,” Pate explained.
Medipool will operate under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and will later extend to federal tertiary hospitals. The system will manage procurement planning, supply chain monitoring, quality control, and support for local drug manufacturers. It is also expected to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports.
The project has already been vetted by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and modeled after similar systems used successfully in countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Singapore.
Pate emphasized that this move is part of a broader Presidential Initiative to unlock the healthcare value chain, including an Executive Order signed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2024, which removed tariffs on pharmaceutical raw materials to support local production.
“This intervention is not just about saving money—it’s about improving quality, stimulating local manufacturing, and making drugs accessible for Nigerians,” Pate said.
In a related development, FEC also approved a ₦2.3 billion contract for the procurement and installation of a cardiac catheterisation machine at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto. This will enable advanced diagnosis and treatment for heart-related conditions and help reduce medical tourism.
“This will serve Sokoto, the North-West region, and the country at large. It will save lives and reduce the need for Nigerians to seek such care abroad,” Pate added.
