Zipline, the leader in autonomous delivery, is teaming up with the government of Nigeria to transform health access and equity by using drone delivery to improve the country’s infrastructure, positioning it to leapfrog barriers to economic growth and development.

Since launching in Nigeria in 2022, Zipline’s climate-friendly and time-saving aircraft – designed to enable access for vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations – have delivered millions of  vaccine doses, essential medicines, and more than 260 types of health products to more than 900 hospitals, health facilities and community drop points.

Across Africa, Zipline has invested to build local infrastructure and human capacity, creating more than 500 local jobs in robotics, healthcare, software engineering, and business disciplines.

On September 26, at the United Nations General Assembly, Zipline and the Nigerian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will announce a plan to deploy Zipline’s drone delivery service across the country to reduce maternal mortality, malnutrition, malaria and other intractable health challenges. This project will build a more resilient logistics system that enables access to high quality, reliable healthcare for a substantial portion of the country’s non-urban population and improves the health system’s ability to respond to disasters and emergencies.

The partnership aims to create a sustainable financing framework to attract commitments from global health, economic development, and climate funders to establish autonomous drone infrastructure around the country in strategically determined locations, and to enable the operation of these drone networks through hiring, training and empowerment of local talent.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has partnered with Zipline since 2016 and supports vaccine programs in Nigeria; the Elton John AIDS Foundation has collaborated with Zipline in Kenya since 2022 to bring HIV services to young adults outside of traditional health settings.

Together, they are seeding the vision for this new partnership in Nigeria by coming in as the first financial backers. It underscores their commitment to innovative, collaborative approaches, using creative financing mechanisms to transform health outcomes for key communities, with a focus on young people.

“It is this sort of partnership – one that brings tens of millions of dollars of foreign investment, turns Nigeria into a global AI and robotics powerhouse, and creates jobs of the future for its youth – that will reshape Nigeria and the world over the coming years,” Zipline CEO and Co-Founder Keller Rinaudo Cliffton said.

Since coming into office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has introduced a package of reforms to improve Nigeria’s security, strengthen public services and bolster the business environment.

In October 2023, he launched the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) to transform the country’s healthcare ecosystem. Under the leadership of National Coordinator Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, PVAC is making strides to increase local healthcare manufacturing, reduce medical tourism, and create quality jobs in the nation.

“This new Memorandum of Understanding will dramatically advance PVAC’s goals,” said Nigerian Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, previously Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population at the World Bank Group.

“Scaling Zipline’s infrastructure nationwide can digitize, modernize, equalize and raise the quality of healthcare services available to all Nigerians, while at the same time propelling our country into a new era of economic prosperity, climate resilience and global technological leadership.”

With its zero-emissions, AI-powered logistics system and commitment to local job creation, Zipline demonstrably helps surmount obstacles to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Nowhere are the benefits of on-demand drone delivery more apparent than in healthcare, encompassed by SDG 3.

Today, in the areas that Zipline serves, a doctor or community healthcare worker can get blood, vaccines, drugs and other medical supplies in as little as 10 minutes.

The impact of Zipline’s early operations on health outcomes in Africa has been staggering:

• Zipline has centralized almost all of Rwanda’s blood supply and sends it on demand where it’s needed, avoiding long storage of unused blood components in the field. A study published in The Lancet shows that Zipline reduced blood expiries by 67% in its first three years of operating in Rwanda.
• Also thanks to its ability to centralize and deliver blood on demand, Zipline has reduced in-hospital maternal mortality due to postpartum hemorrhaging by 51% in Rwanda.
• Similarly, the Ghana Health Service finds a4% decline in maternal deaths at Zipline-served facilities vs. non Zipline facilities, driven by increased health system utilization.
• Research published in the peer-reviewed finds a 21 percentage point average increase in childhood vaccination rates in Zipline-served areas in Ghana.
• A study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation finds that in Ghana, Zipline reduced missed vaccination opportunities by 42% and the duration of vaccine stockouts (when a product is out of stock due to inventory shortage) by 60%.
• PrEP retention refers to how regularly a patient takes pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a tool used to prevent transmission of HIV. In Kenya, Zipline has helped increase 1-month and 6-month PrEP retention rates to 94% and 86% respectively (rates were 9-12% before Zipline).
• While studies on Zipline’s work in Nigeria are still underway, Zipline has already helped vaccinate more than 15,000 children, 10,000 of whom were originally classified as zero-dose (children who have never received a single dose of vaccine).

A second arrangement between Zipline and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of Nigeria will extend the envisioned national partnership’s benefits to address sectors beyond healthcare, including agriculture, education and disaster relief.

Kuda has introduced a new feature allowing its customers to purchase eSIMs directly from the Kuda app.

Nosa Oyegun

This innovative service provides users with virtual SIM cards for seamless internet access across more than 60 countries including the US, UK, Canada, and Saudi Arabia as well as top tourist and business destinations in Europe and Africa.

The new eSIM service offers a convenient way for Kuda customers to stay connected internationally without the need for a foreign data plan. Unlike traditional SIM cards, eSIMs are digital and can be embedded within devices such as smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches.

Kuda customers can now access internet data plans ranging from as low as 1GB, which is valid for seven days, to as high as 20GB, depending on their travel needs.

The eSIM itself is free; customers only pay for the internet data they need. Although the eSIMs do not come with a phone number, users can easily make and receive audio and video calls via apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime.

Nosa Oyegun, VP Product Innovation and Strategy at Kuda: “Our [Kuda’s] eSIM feature is a cost-effective and convenient way for our customers to stay connected while travelling.

“They won’t need to buy a SIM card at their travel destination, spend forex on data plans, or pay data roaming fees.”

The introduction of the eSIM feature marks another step in Kuda’s mission to provide innovative banking solutions that extend beyond traditional financial services and empower its users.

As the demand for flexible, borderless connectivity grows, Kuda continues to evolve its offerings to meet the needs of modern, mobile-savvy customers.

The eSIM feature is now live on the Kuda app, giving the bank’s customers a hassle-free way to stay connected when they travel.

Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has gathered opinion molders in the communications industry, to create people-centered policies for the adoption of 6GHz Open Wi-Fi.

L-R: Executive Secretary, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Gbolahan Awonuga; Professor of Telecommunications Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Caroline Alenoghena; Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Abraham Oshadami; Public Policy Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta, Sade Dada; Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, NCC, Efosa Idehen and President, Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria, Tony Emoekpere, during a Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on Emerging Technologies hosted by the Commission in Lagos on Thursday (September 19, 2024).

The stakeholder forum held in Lagos, aligns with NCC’s mission of effective regulation, consumer protection, research and development, market growth, and policy implementation.

Speaking at the stakeholder forum, Dr. Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman/CEO of NCC, emphasized the commission’s role as a hub for decision-making, while recognizing the invaluable contributions of high-speed internet. He reiterated the commitment to align with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Our actions must be guided by decisions that consider inputs from all industry stakeholders.

“The 6GHz band, spanning 5925 MHz to 7125 MHz, provides a substantial spectrum to meet the growing demand for high-speed internet and advanced applications.

“Wi-Fi is crucial for distributing fixed broadband connectivity across homes, offices, and various environments,” he stated.

Speaking further, Dr. Aminu, who was represented by Abraham Oshadami, the Executive Commissioner for Technical Services at NCC, expressed enthusiasm for the stakeholder initiative.

He noted that the government aims to reposition the commission to seize opportunities through strategic focus areas driven by collaboration, data compliance, and digitalization.

He pointed out that most home internet traffic connects through Wi-Fi, making it essential to handle large data volumes and connect multiple devices reliably. As the current 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies become saturated, exploring other bands is imperative.

Meanwhile, Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, President of ATCON, discussed the importance of spectrum allocation, investment in infrastructure, consumer benefits, digital inclusion, and global alignment.

He emphasized that the 6GHz band is being considered globally for IMT and Wi-Fi 6 deployment, urging Nigeria to align its policies with international standards to foster trade, collaboration, and innovation.

He highlighted the potential of Wi-Fi 6 to provide high-speed, low-latency internet to underserved areas, advocating for inclusive access and equitable distribution of technology, while ensuring affordability and consumer protection.

The forum also featured insights from Meta’s Fargani Tambeayuk, Director of Public Policy for Francophone Africa, who acknowledged the NCC’s efforts in achieving 66% internet traffic growth within a year.

According to him, Nigeria’s $2 billion fiber-optics project is a significant leap in connectivity. He emphasized that the internet is a key driver of economic growth and that the adoption of 6GHz will lead to prosperity.

Corroborating Fargani’s thought, Judith Okonkwo of Imisi 3D Creation who Lab co-presented on “Wi-Fi for a Digital-Driven Economy,” highlights the benefits of Real-time Remote Assistance (RRA).

RRA facilitates immediate support via live video, audio, and chat, improving efficiency and reducing costs across various sectors, including manufacturing, education, and entertainment.

Strengthening the discussion, Engr. Prof. Caroline Alenoghena from the Federal University of Minna discussed the opportunities presented by leveraging the 6GHz spectrum, including increased wireless capacity, reduced network congestion, and enhanced telemedicine capabilities.

She recommended spectrum studies, pilot projects, and investment incentives, urging international partners to support Nigeria’s 6GHz adoption through knowledge sharing.

To Daniel Obam, a resource person from Huawei noted the challenges in Nigeria’s transmission network, including a national fiber penetration rate of approximately 19%, compared to over 60% in Europe.

He emphasized the need for Nigeria to increase its capacity and explore the benefits of 6GHz technology.

But Dr. Bienvenu Agbokponto Soglo from Intel highlighted that extensive technical studies have confirmed that wireless access systems can operate within the 6GHz band without disrupting existing operations.

He noted that many countries have opened part of the 6GHz band for use and recommended that Nigeria do the same to foster innovation and connectivity.