Fourteen Nigerian states have pooled approximately ₦132 billion to jointly procure 81 essential medicines and health commodities in what is being described as one of the country’s largest collaborative public procurement initiatives in the health sector.
The initiative, implemented through the Group Purchasing Framework (GPF), is expected to reduce medicine costs, improve quality, strengthen supply chains and expand access to life-saving medicines for millions of Nigerians.
Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, disclosed the development in a post on LinkedIn following the Forum’s recent meeting attended by Commissioners of Health from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to him, the procurement initiative is being led by the Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), the Council of Drug Management Agencies (Council of DMAs) and with support from the Africa Resource Centre for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC_ESM).
Filani described the pooled procurement arrangement as one of the most significant health reforms currently underway in Nigeria.
He explained that aggregating demand enables participating states to negotiate better prices through economies of scale, purchase directly from reputable manufacturers, improve the reliability of medicine supply chains, make more efficient use of limited public resources and increase access to essential medicines.
“This is what cooperative federalism looks like in practice,” Filani said, expressing optimism that the initiative would eventually expand from the current 14 states to all 36 states and the FCT, while increasing the number of essential commodities covered from 81 to more than 500.
Beyond the medicines procurement initiative, the Health Commissioners also agreed on several measures aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s health system.
These include improving health facility regulation, supporting states with weaker regulatory capacity, enhancing national preparedness for emerging disease threats such as Ebola, and sustaining collaboration with the Federal Government, state governors and development partners to improve health outcomes.
Filani noted that sustainable progress in healthcare is achieved through collaboration among institutions rather than isolated efforts.
“Progress in health is rarely driven by a single breakthrough. More often, it is the cumulative effect of many institutions choosing to collaborate rather than compete,” he said.
The Commissioner also disclosed that although the Forum had planned to elect a new leadership after he completed the constitutionally required two terms as Chairman, members unanimously requested that he continue in office.
He said he was humbled by the confidence reposed in him and pledged to continue working with his colleagues to advance health sector reforms across the country.
Health Commissioners at the MeetingPhoto Dr. Oyebanji Filani/Linkedln
Health policy experts have welcomed the pooled procurement initiative, describing it as a practical strategy for lowering medicine prices, strengthening supply chain resilience and improving accountability in the procurement and distribution of essential medicines.
Also commenting on the initiative, Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, described the Group Purchasing Framework as a demonstration of states’ shared commitment to building stronger and more resilient health systems through collaboration and strategic procurement.
She said the initiative represents practical reforms that will strengthen medicine security, promote responsible stewardship of public resources and improve access to quality healthcare for more Nigerians.
