Zipline to launch 12 new drone hubs in Nigeria for medical delivery

Zipline is expanding its drone delivery network in Nigeria with 12 new hubs, building on its success delivering nearly 4 million medical products across African healthcare centers since 2016. The US drone logistics company has operated in Africa since 2016 and identifies Nigeria as its biggest African market for growth.

This follows Zipline's eight-year agreement with Côte d'Ivoire to establish a national drone delivery network serving 12 million people - about one-third of the country's population. In that deal, Côte d'Ivoire's government covers operating costs for eight years while expecting a three-fold return on investment. Zipline provides the full infrastructure: warehouses, cold-chain storage, digital tracking, and delivery services.

For Nigeria, this expansion signals increasing confidence in drone technology as reliable healthcare infrastructure. With $2 billion already raised globally and discussions underway for another $1 billion round at a $20 billion valuation, Zipline's model is shifting from pilot projects to becoming part of national health supply systems across Africa.

What specific healthcare delivery challenges in your community could be addressed by drone delivery networks, and what concerns would you have about medical supplies arriving by drone?

SOURCE: https://techcabal.com/2026/09/23/techcabal-daily-paid-up-or-priced-out/