By Raymond Ken-Mbata
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening local pharmaceutical manufacturing, targeting at least 70 per cent domestic production of essential healthcare products by 2030 to improve medicine security, reduce import dependence and build a more resilient healthcare system.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this while declaring open the 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo (NPME), organised by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) at Harbour Point Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking on the theme, “Regional Manufacturing: Advancing Africa’s Pharma and Life-Science Sovereignty through Localization,” Salako said disruptions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the risks of depending heavily on international supply chains for essential medicines and other healthcare products.
He maintained that Nigeria and other African countries must strengthen their capacity to produce medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and critical health technologies locally to safeguard public health and economic stability.
According to the minister, medicine security extends beyond ensuring access to available supplies, requiring countries to develop the capacity to manufacture essential products when international supply chains are disrupted.
Salako said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had introduced strategic interventions, including the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and the Presidential Executive Order for Pharmaceutical and Allied Sectors, to stimulate domestic production and strengthen Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry.
He disclosed that PVAC had secured investment commitments of approximately $2 billion at single-digit interest rates, with about 50 Nigerian healthcare firms at advanced stages of funding discussions.
The minister added that 87 local manufacturers were benefiting from the implementation of the Presidential Executive Order, which provides zero tariffs on pharmaceutical machinery, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients across nearly 1,000 Harmonised System codes.
He explained that the measures were designed to reduce production costs, encourage investment and improve the competitiveness of locally manufactured pharmaceutical products.
Highlighting further interventions, Salako said the government was supporting efforts to expand domestic production of APIs, vaccines, biologics, diagnostics and other essential health commodities.
These initiatives include the operationalisation of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development’s (NIPRD) API Capacity Building and Concept Production Centre, the development of commercial API manufacturing capacity, and efforts to localise the production of diagnostic products for HIV, hepatitis and syphilis.
The minister also called for increased investment in research and development, particularly to harness Nigeria’s phytomedicinal resources for pharmaceutical innovation and industrial growth.
He stressed that genuine localisation must extend beyond packaging imported products to developing domestic expertise and capacity across the pharmaceutical value chain, including research, raw materials, formulation, quality assurance, manufacturing, packaging and distribution.
Salako further highlighted the establishment of Medipool, Nigeria’s national Group Purchasing Organisation for essential medicines and medical commodities, as a mechanism for creating predictable demand for locally manufactured products.
He said aggregating procurement, negotiating bulk purchases and improving supply-chain efficiency would help manufacturers achieve economies of scale and strengthen the sustainability of domestic pharmaceutical production.
The minister urged manufacturers, researchers, investors and development partners to embrace regional manufacturing and take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand markets and improve the competitiveness of African pharmaceutical products.
He noted that achieving pharmaceutical self-reliance would require sustained investment, technological innovation, regulatory alignment and stronger regional market integration.
Declaring the expo open, Salako expressed confidence that stronger collaboration among government institutions, pharmaceutical manufacturers, research centres and investors would accelerate Nigeria’s progress towards medicine security and strengthen its position within Africa’s pharmaceutical industry.
He emphasised that building a resilient healthcare system required investment not only in hospitals and laboratories but also in factories, universities, research institutions and supply chains capable of supporting sustainable local production.
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