Côte d’Ivoire has approved a public-private partnership with Zipline to expand its autonomous medical drone delivery network to 10 distribution hubs, extending reliable access to essential health supplies for millions of people across the country.
The government acknowledged the contract with Zipline-SARL on 9 September 2026. The network will supply strategic medical products and blood to health facilities, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
The rollout is planned in two phases. The first phase, lasting 27 months, will establish centres in Daloa, Biankouma, San Pedro and Kouto. A second phase will add six more hubs in the Autonomous District of Abidjan and the regions of Indénié-Djuablin, Gbêkê, Kabadougou, Bélier and Gontougo, bringing the total to ten sites.
Infrastructure costs are supported by a grant from the United States government, while the Ivorian state will cover ongoing operating costs. This structure aligns with a broader U.S. pay-for-performance programme announced in late 2025 that can mobilise up to $150 million to help Zipline expand its AI-powered logistics systems across several African countries, provided partner governments commit to sustained operations.
Zipline has operated a pilot centre in Daloa since 2023, serving hundreds of health facilities within a 100 km radius and completing more than 20,000 deliveries. The expanded network aims to make rapid, weather-resilient delivery of vaccines, blood and other critical supplies routine rather than exceptional.
The partnership reflects a wider shift in which African governments are treating autonomous logistics as permanent national health infrastructure rather than temporary donor-funded projects. Similar expansion agreements have been signed or are advancing in Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana under the same U.S.-backed framework.
Once fully operational, the ten-hub system is expected to significantly increase the number of facilities and people with near-instant access to essential medical products, strengthening supply-chain resilience in both urban and remote areas of Côte d’Ivoire.
