FG Commissions Newly Expanded Abuja Medical Warehouse

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Federal government has inaugurated an altra-modern medical warehouse facility in Abuja as part of its efforts to ensure safe storage of highly sensitive medical commodities.

Known as Abuja Premier Medical Warehouse, the facility located near the Federal Medical Centre in the Federal Capital Territory has 2000 Cold Chain refrigerators where drugs and vaccines can be stored.

Speaking at the commissioning of the expanded medical warehouse, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Pro. Ali Pate described it as one of the many a key asset in Nigeria’s health commodities supply chain system.

Pate who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Daju Kachallom said that federal government has also completed the expansion of similar medical warehouses in 21 states of the Federation.

“Today we’re here to witness a milestone, call it milestone, and as the director of food and drugs said in her opening remarks, the foundation was laid in April 2025 and to the Glory of God, we are here today to commission it

“It’s not just about infrastructure at all. It’s about the health workers, it is about the commodities, it’s about where they are stored, where it will get to the people in good condition, and it’s not just about the health workers, but the technology and the systems for the supply chain as well.

The minister who said that the project was executed with assistance of the Global Fund, noted that the commissioning of the Abuja Premier Warehouse expansion was intended to formally inaugurate the upgrading of the warehouse as a critical national health logistics asset, showcase achievements of government and the global fund, demonstrate progress in storage capacity and logistics efficiency.

He appealed to the Global Fund to  scale up it’s support to other states to ensure that every health facility in Nigeria can enjoy equitable access to improved health care services.

He said Nigeria appreciates the  unwavering commitment of Global Fund, “to strengthening our health systems in line with current administration’s reforms aimed at improving commodity security, expanding storage capacity and ensuring efficient distribution of essential medicines and public health commodities nationwide.

In his goodwill message, the Country Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Ursu, Pavel said that the warehouse will serve as a foundation to engineer support for the country’s health system growth.

“This is a foundational element and building block for a health system, and it’s definitely not to serve only three diseases, but it’s to serve the health system and to support the improving of the performance of the health system in Nigeria, he said..

Also the Representative of the Gates Foundation, the organization has been involved in strengthening the government system for commodities and particularly improving last mile delivery and improving visibility for the supply to health facilities

“So it’s a pleasure to be here, and we congratulate all of us and expect that with this investment at the federal level and across 21 states we can start seeing more critical commodities available at all the health facilities throughout the country,” he said.

Similarly UNICEF Country representative,Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef said he hopes the Medical Warehouse will contribute significantly in,  “strengthening materials health supply chain system by improving storage capacity, inventory management, commodity security distribution efficiency, thereby supporting more reliable, equitable access to essential medicines, vaccines, and other life-saving commodities”.

Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands urged Nigeria to ensure that the warehouse facility is put to good use so as to contribute to better health outcomes.