Yobe Govt To Set Up Drug Manufacturing Unit
By Muhammad Maitela, Damaturu
Yobe government is taking a big step to enhance its healthcare system with plans for a new drug manufacturing unit and a state-of-the-art warehouse.
This was made known by Pharmacist Abdul-Aziz Garba Mohammed, the Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency (YODMA) while defending the agency’s budget for 2026 before a joint committee of the State House of Assembly.
According to a statement by Suleiman Gambo Bakoro, the Agency Public Relations Officer, the proposed drugs manufacturing unit in Damaturu and the new warehouse in Gashu’a would boost availability of drugs, strengthen distribution, and support the state’s healthcare system.
Mohammed pointed out that this effort is in line with the Federal Government’s goal for state agencies to meet national standards, as well as the National Drug Distribution Guidelines, which call for the creation of large distribution centers.
The Executive Secretary explained that in 2025, the agency has set up a pharmaceutical-grade warehouse in Damaturu and decentralised operations through zonal warehouses in Gashu’a, Nguru, and Potiskum.
“This strategic expansion has made medicines more accessible to health facilities, cut down transit times, and allowed health workers to spend more time caring for patients,” he added.
According to him, though the agency is not generating revenue at the moment, its founding law has laid the groundwork for future financial sustainability.
Chairman of the joint committee, Sanda Kara Bade, said the proposed drug manufacturing and warehouse “reflect the needs and aspirations of constituencies across the state” and pledged to prioritise funding for the projects and the health sector in general.
Also, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Ajiya Kachalla Maina urged his colleagues to support this vital initiative to the health sector in the 2026 budget, while also apologizing for shortcomings recorded by the Health Ministry and its agencies in the 2025 fiscal year.
