Zipline is Negotiating to Expand Its Drone Delivery Operations to Five More States in Nigeria

Zipline, a U.S.-based drone logistics company, is planning a significant expansion of its drone delivery operations in Nigeria. By the end of 2025, the company aims to extend its services to five additional states, bringing the total number of operational states to seven.

This move follows a memorandum of understanding signed with the Nigerian government in September 2024, which will enable Zipline to deliver essential medical supplies to remote and underserved areas using its advanced drone infrastructure.

Currently, Zipline operates drone deployment stations, known as “nests,” in Bayelsa, Kaduna, and Cross River. These nests serve as hubs for Zipline’s drone delivery operations across Nigeria, enhancing the country’s healthcare supply chain. Akin Oyediran, Zipline Nigeria’s country manager and partnership lead, emphasized that the federal government is collaborating with the company to deploy these nests and utilize drone technology to deliver medical supplies efficiently.

Nigeria’s healthcare system faces numerous challenges, including poor drug storage, inadequate road networks, and widespread counterfeit drugs. These issues often lead to shortages of essential medicines, particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare is already limited. Traditional delivery methods can take hours or even days, making timely healthcare difficult to access, especially in riverine communities where transportation options are limited.

Before Zipline’s expansion, other organizations like LifeBank and the Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management had been working to address these challenges. However, they often faced financial constraints that limited their reach.

Zipline, with its substantial funding, does not face these challenges. In May 2023, the company raised $330 million, bringing its total funding to approximately $900 million and valuing it at $4.2 billion. This funding has been used to improve its drone technology and support its expansion plans.

Zipline began its Africa operations in Rwanda in 2016 and expanded to Ghana in 2019. In 2022, it entered Nigeria, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire. The company’s drones can deliver medical supplies in as little as 30 minutes to areas where traditional healthcare personnel might take up to 14 hours to reach. Each Zipline nest can operate up to 300 drone flights per day, delivering vaccines, anti-malaria drugs, and other essential medical supplies.

Zipline’s plan to expand drone delivery operations to five more states in Nigeria is part of a broader strategy to improve healthcare access nationwide. Nigeria is significantly larger than Rwanda, where Zipline operates with just two nests covering the entire country. Achieving similar coverage in Nigeria would require a much larger network of nests. However, Zipline’s drones can serve patients within an 80-kilometer radius from a single nest, extending services to neighboring states.

Beyond healthcare, Zipline is considering expanding into agricultural supply deliveries to support farmers and potentially entering e-commerce logistics in Nigeria. The company sees Nigeria as a key market for improving healthcare on a large scale, aligning with its mission to make drone delivery accessible to everyone globally.

Zipline’s expansion is not only about improving healthcare but also about creating economic opportunities. Each distribution center creates high-skilled jobs and contributes to rural economic development. As Zipline continues to expand its drone delivery operations, it is poised to play a significant role in transforming Nigeria’s healthcare landscape and potentially other sectors like agriculture and e-commerce.

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