With MediPool, Tinubu restores hope of neglected regions to drug access – ICRC DG

…As FEC approves Ikere Dam, Borokiri fisheries projects under PPP

Omeiza Bilal

The Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, has applauded President Bola Tinubu’s describing the approval of the MEDIPOOL project as a major breakthrough in addressing drug access disparities in Nigeria’s most underserved regions.

According to a statement by Acting Head, Media and Publicity, Ifeanyi Nwoko, the ICRC Director General was reacting to the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the MEDIPOOL project and other Public Private Partnership projects including the 6mw Ikere Gorge Hydropower Project and the Federal Coastal FISHERY TERMINAL, Borokiri Fishing Terminal, Dr Ewalefoh stated that the projects will better the lives of Nigerians.

“Imagine a Nigeria where no child dies due to the unavailability of vaccines, where every health facility—no matter how remote—has access to life-saving drugs. That future begins now, with the MEDIPOOL Project.

“MEDIPOOL is just the beginning. Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Public-Private Partnerships are driving infrastructure delivery across all sectors ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind,” Dr. Ewalefoh stated.

He added that, “With MediPool, President Tinubu is restoring hope to neglected regions by ensuring access to essential medicines—a right, not a privilege, for all Nigerians.”

The MEDIPOOL initiative, part of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, aims to centralize the procurement and distribution of essential medicines, vaccines, and consumables through a high-efficiency Group Purchasing Organization (GPO).

Dr. Ewalefoh emphasized that the project will not only promote transparency and affordability but also ensure that no region is left behind, particularly rural and hard-to-reach areas that have historically suffered from poor access to medicines.

In addition to MediPool, the Federal Executive Council approved: Ikere Gorge Hydropower project (Oyo State): Originally initiated in the late 1970’s under the Obasanjo military regime, the hydropower project will be redeveloped under a Finance-Build-Operate-Transfer (FBOT) structure to generate over 6 megawatts of electricity, provide potable water to towns like Iseyin and Saki, and irrigate thousands of hectares of farmland and the Coastal Fisheries Terminal (Borokiri, Rivers State).

These projects aim to boost Nigeria’s fishery value chain through modern cold-chain logistics, job creation, and enhanced export capability.

These PPP initiatives align with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to transform Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape, enhance service delivery, and stimulate inclusive economic growth.

The ICRC will continue to provide regulatory oversight to ensure project transparency, value for money, and full alignment with global PPP standards.