Effective in-country supply chains has become an even more critical success factor in ensuring these commodities reach the women and children who need them most as the Federal Government of Nigeria scales up access to underutilized and high-impact commodities.

There are concerns (given deficits in vital supply chain and management functions) that the public health supply chain system could impede efforts to improve coverage and improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
Despite some marginal improvements and millions of dollars of supply chain investments by USAID, Global Fund, GAVI, UNFPA, UNICEF, DFID, and other bilateral donors to address supply chain system challenges, Nigeria’s public health supply chain continues to be ineffective, inefficient, fragmented, and wasteful.
Existing State and donor driven supply chain interventions are inadequate and necessitate bold innovative approaches and complementary broad based partnerships to disrupt the cycle of poor public health supply chain performance.



Following a rapid diagnostic and focused consultations, a theory of change was developed predicated on three priority levers that target fundamental root causes of supply chain underperformance:

  • Unrealized synergies from private sector capabilities, expertise and capital;
  • Insufficient strategic thinking on supply chain issues and limited coordination and knowledge sharing between public and private sector actors in the supply chain ecosystem;
  • Limited production and capacity of supply chain human resource.

Building on the theory of change, an independent resource center called Africa Resource Centre for Supply Chain in Nigeria –  to serve as an independent advisor and strategic partner to provide technical and strategic support to the Federal Ministry of Health, State Ministries of Health, donors and implementing partners in Nigeria.

Theory of Change

The Vision of The Africa Resource Centre for Supply Chain

The vision of ARC is to build a supply chain think tank and broker that can provide independent strategic advice to help countries meet their public health goals. ARC aims to work with actors across sectors and throughout the value chain, to broker, match and structure partnerships across private, civic society, academia, and public sector in Africa. This will leverage local and international talent and expertise to strengthen supply chain and improve medicines availability. 

IMPACT SERVICE MODEL

To support the Ministry of Health to improve availability by…
  • Increasing Investment in Supply Chain
  • Injecting Private Sector Expertise
  • Building Capacity & Developing Talent
  • Improving Availability of Medicines & Health Products
ARC will provide key services…
  • Partnership Brokering
  • Independent Advice & Advocacy
  • Centre of Excellence

Independent Advisory & Advocacy:

Assisting with development of country supply chain strategies and providing subject matter expertise and advocacy for supply chain investments, in coordination and alignment with in-country Ministries of Health and Donor Partners;

Private Sector Engagement:

Supporting Ministries of Health to partner with global, regional and global private sector to gain leading practice expertise and experience to strengthen supply chains and public sector capacity by developing cross-sector partnerships to help transform in-country supply chains;

Capacity Building & Talent Development:

Working with local, regional and international universities and other institutional partners to support research and innovation for public sector supply chains and support building capacity of supply chain talent and local organizations and service providers supporting supply chain strengthening activities in country, both in the immediate and longer term.