Tinubu Launches 145 Tricycle Ambulances, Six Boat Ambulances to Save Mothers, Newborns Across Nigeria

ABUJA, Nigeria – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday launched the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), deploying 145 tricycle ambulances, six boat ambulances, and emergency dispatch equipment to tackle Nigeria’s alarming maternal mortality crisis—where, according to UNICEF, one woman dies every seven minutes from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. The launch, conducted virtually as part of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s third-anniversary projects, signals the administration’s most ambitious attempt yet to bridge the emergency healthcare gap in rural, riverine, and hard-to-reach communities across Nigeria.

Nigeria records an estimated 75,000 maternal deaths annually—one of the highest figures globally. Additionally, about 280,000 newborns die each year, many from preventable causes. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has consistently attributed these deaths to weak healthcare infrastructure, shortage of trained health workers, poverty, poor emergency response systems, and critically, lack of transportation to access quality maternal care. Speaking during the virtual presidential launch, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziak Adekunle Salako, described the NEMSAS initiative as a direct response to this crisis. He said the investments reflected “a bold national vision where no Nigerian should lose their life because structured medical help could not reach them in time.”

Tinubu Launches 145 Tricycle Ambulances and Six Boat Ambulances to Save Mother

According to the minister, the NEMSAS assets include 145 tricycle ambulances (commonly known as “keke ambulances”) designed to navigate narrow roads and rough terrain in rural communities, six boat ambulances specifically deployed to riverine and coastal areas where road access is impossible, and emergency communication and dispatch equipment to coordinate rapid response. “This landmark occasion features the official launch of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System assets including 145 tricycle ambulances, six boat ambulances, emergency communication and dispatch equipment to strengthen pre-hospital care across the nation,” Salako said.

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Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachallom, explained the deployment strategy. “These ambulances are going down to the rural areas, and they will be stationed at the primary healthcare centres where there are trained drivers, while nurses will accompany the ambulances anytime they need to be moved,” she said. She added that emergency contact numbers would be made available at primary healthcare centres to support emergency referrals and rapid response. The six boat ambulances have been deployed specifically to riverine communities, while the vehicle ambulances powered by compressed natural gas will serve federal tertiary facilities. Kachallom expressed optimism that Nigerians would witness better health outcomes before the end of 2027, noting that the health sector had “greatly improved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.”

National Programme Manager of NEMSAS, Demuren Doubra, revealed that the tricycle ambulances were specifically designed to transport pregnant women and newborns during emergencies in hard-to-reach communities. Doubra disclosed that even before the official launch, more than 58,000 women and over 2,000 newborns had already benefited from emergency transport interventions under the programme. He cited a powerful example: a pregnant woman transported over 180 kilometres from Dukku Local Government Area in Gombe State, who later delivered triplets safely. “This is a woman that would have died because of a gap in transportation,” he said. “As NEMSAS, with these facilities and equipment, we are trying to address the delay in reaching care for women and newborns,” Doubra added. He confirmed that the ambulances are being deployed across 15 states under a World Bank-supported IMPACT project, serving local government areas with the highest maternal and child mortality rates.

Beyond the ambulance launch, Minister Salako announced the commissioning of several major health infrastructure projects across the country, including Emergency Operations Centres in Kano, Sokoto, and Katsina states; the Lagos Vaccine Hub; primary healthcare infrastructure in Delta State; the Trauma Centre at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria; the Mental Health Complex at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital; the Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology Centre in Bauchi; the Laboratory Complex at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital; and the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Complex at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja. Salako disclosed that the ministry had lined up more than 100 projects to mark the third anniversary of the Tinubu administration, with selected projects across the six geopolitical zones chosen for presidential commissioning. He said the projects represented strategic investments in emergency preparedness, maternal and child healthcare, trauma care, mental health, and diagnostic services.

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Highlighting the administration’s track record, Salako said the Federal Government had expanded health insurance coverage by over 33 per cent, revitalised more than 4,000 primary healthcare centres, established 15 new federal tertiary health institutions, and provided over 500 specialist health infrastructure projects, including cancer centres and diagnostic facilities, to reduce medical tourism. President Tinubu had earlier announced that his administration injected over N98 billion into Nigeria’s primary healthcare sector via the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) , disbursed to over 8,300 primary healthcare centres nationwide—marking one of the largest single-year investments in grassroots health services.

National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme, Nnena Ogbulafor, linked the emergency transport system to ongoing efforts to reduce malaria prevalence in Nigeria. She said the 2025 Malaria Indicator Survey showed malaria prevalence had declined to 15 per cent from 21 per cent recorded in 2021. “Between three years of Mr President’s agenda, especially as regards the health sector, we’ve been able to reduce the burden of malaria significantly,” she said. The Federal Government’s Strategic Adviser on Malaria Elimination, Prof. Olugbenga Mokuolu, confirmed that no state in Nigeria is currently classified under high transmission, with Lagos recording just 2.6 per cent prevalence and Plateau 2.8 per cent. Ogbulafor disclosed that 428 health workers had been trained across the 15 participating states, while awareness campaigns and emergency health communication strategies had also been developed.

World Bank Task Team Leader, Onoride Ezire, described the launch as a major milestone in Nigeria’s pursuit of universal health coverage. Ezire explained that the specially equipped tricycle ambulances are fitted with communication gadgets and emergency medical support systems to monitor patients during transportation. “They are not just vehicles, they are not just ambulances; they are life-saving machines,” he said. He noted that poor terrain and lack of transportation often turn basic emergencies into life-threatening situations in rural communities. According to him, the ambulances would help reduce maternal and newborn mortality by ensuring quicker access to healthcare facilities. Ezire urged states benefiting from the initiative to ensure proper maintenance and sustainable management of the ambulances to guarantee long-term impact.

Director of Community Health Services at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Nana Abubakar, said the initiative would improve emergency transportation, referral systems, and rapid access to lifesaving care. “It will help reduce preventable deaths, especially amongst mothers, newborn children and other vulnerable groups,” she said. Abubakar stated that emergency response begins within communities, adding that the initiative aligned with the agency’s mandate to strengthen primary healthcare as the foundation for universal health coverage.

Tinubu Launches 145 Tricycle Ambulances, Six Boat Ambulances to Save Mothers, Newborns Across Nigeria