The Federal Government has commissioned the expanded Abuja Premier Warehouse, a major health logistics facility designed to strengthen the storage and distribution of medicines, vaccines, and other essential health commodities across Nigeria.
The facility, commissioned on Monday, complements the 22 Central Medical Warehouses across 21 states funded by the Global Fund to improve healthcare delivery and ensure commodity security nationwide.
Representing the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, at the commissioning ceremony, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, said the project marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.
According to her, the warehouse expansion, whose foundation was laid in April 2025, will enhance the efficiency of the country’s health supply chain by ensuring that medicines, vaccines and other critical commodities are properly stored and delivered in optimal condition.
She noted that the facility would serve as a strategic national asset, increase storage capacity, improve logistics efficiency and support ongoing healthcare reforms under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The expanded warehouse represents more than infrastructure development. It will safeguard the quality, integrity and potency of life-saving health products while strengthening healthcare delivery across the country,” she said.
The minister also expressed appreciation to the Global Fund and other development partners, including UNICEF, WHO, the United States Government, the Gates Foundation, the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), and several government departments and private sector stakeholders for their support in delivering the project.
He stressed that the partners’ contributions extend beyond infrastructure development to advancing equitable access to quality healthcare services and improving health outcomes for Nigerians.
“The facility will contribute significantly to Nigeria’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage and enhanced national health security,” Pate stated.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, through the Director of Food and Drug Services, Dr. Olufowobi Yusuf-Adeola, described the warehouse expansion as a game-changer for Nigeria’s healthcare system and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to partnerships aimed at addressing healthcare infrastructure deficits.
She also acknowledged the presence and support of key stakeholders, including representatives of WHO, UNICEF, CHAI, IHVN, GHSC-PSM, NCDC, NACA, Gates Foundation and several other organisations.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, highlighted the critical role of supply chains in healthcare delivery.
“You cannot have a health system in a country as big and diverse as Nigeria without a sophisticated and robust health supply chain,” Sands said, congratulating the ministry and partners on the successful completion of the project.
Also speaking, UNICEF Deputy Representative (Operations), Charles Opikoli Lolika, said the expanded Abuja Premier Warehouse and the 22 state medical warehouses are expected to benefit about 149 million people across the participating states, including approximately 68 million children.
He added that the Global Fund-UNICEF partnership is also supporting the upgrade of more than 150 Primary Healthcare Centres, expected to provide improved services to about 150,000 people, including over 70,000 children.
The Country Representative of the World Health Organization, Dr. Pavel Ursu, emphasized the need for consistency in government health programmes, noting that sustained implementation would be key to translating early gains in healthcare into measurable outcomes.
A representative of the Gates Foundation said the project aligns with the foundation’s goals of reducing maternal and child mortality, combating infectious diseases and reducing poverty through stronger healthcare systems.
He stressed that commodity security remains critical to achieving those objectives and commended efforts to improve last-mile delivery and visibility of health commodities across Nigeria.
The commissioning of the expanded Abuja Premier Warehouse is expected to significantly strengthen Nigeria’s health supply chain system, improve access to essential medicines and vaccines, and support the country’s drive toward universal health coverage.
