MediPool: ICRC DG Applauds Tinubu’s Efforts to Enhance Pharmaceutical Access

By Oluwakemi Kindness  

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

Speaking on the sideline of FEC’s approval of the MEDIPOOL project and other Public Private Partnership projects including the 6 megawatts Ikere Gorge Hydropower Project and the Federal Coastal FISHERY TERMINAL, Borokiri Fishing Terminal, Dr. Ewalefoh says the projects will better the lives of Nigerians.

According to a press statement on Sunday by the Acting Head, Media ICRC, Ifeanyi Nwoko, “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 states.

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 is 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 emphasizes 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 statement adds that 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.

For the Coastal Fisheries Terminal (Borokiri, Rivers State): This project aims 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 says it will continue to provide regulatory oversight to ensure project transparency, value for money, and full alignment with global PPP standards.

Photo credit……X