The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to building a pharmaceutical industry that is globally competitive, research-driven and capable of consistently meeting international quality standards to improve access to affordable, locally manufactured medicines.

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Dr Obi Adigwe, stated this in Abuja during the high-level stakeholders’ meeting to finalise the IMPACT Project activities with the pharmaceutical industry. The meeting was themed: “Strengthening Local Medicines Manufacturing Capacity: From Concept to Action.”

He noted that the global health landscape has shown that countries with strong local manufacturing ecosystems are better positioned to respond to public health emergencies, secure essential medicines for their populations and build resilient health systems.

Adigwe observed that local manufacturing cannot be strengthened through infrastructure alone, noting that sustainable pharmaceutical production requires an integrated ecosystem comprising robust research and development, regulatory excellence, quality management systems, skilled human resources, access to financing, technological innovation and productive partnerships across the public and private sectors.

Represented by the Director of Pharmaceutical Technology and Raw Materials Development, Prof. Philips Builders, he stressed that only when these components function together can meaningful industrial transformation become possible.

Adigwe said strengthening local pharmaceutical production is now a national development priority, a public health imperative component of Nigeria’s economic security. He added that the IMPACT Project has provided a unique opportunity to move beyond dialogue to implementation.

He said the project, which was piloted in 2023, was designed to strengthen the capacity of Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturers to produce safe, high-quality medicines and pharmaceutical products locally.

According to him, the project has recorded notable successes over the years, adding that the meeting marked the beginning of a more ambitious national journey to transform Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing landscape from one driven largely by aspiration to one defined by innovation, resilience and sustainable action.

He said, “Through strategic collaboration between government institutions, development partners, academia, regulators and the pharmaceutical industry, we have collectively developed interventions designed not only to strengthen manufacturing capacity but also to improve research and development, encourage innovation, promote novel biotechnologies and build the human capital required for long-term sustainability.”

Adigwe said NIPRD has continued to position itself as Nigeria’s foremost research institution driving pharmaceutical innovation through science, technology and strategic partnerships.

“Our mandate extends beyond laboratory research. It encompasses the generation of knowledge that informs policy, the development of technologies that improve healthcare delivery, and the creation of an enabling environment where scientific discoveries translate into products and improved health outcomes for our citizens,” he said.

The NIPRD boss said one of the defining achievements of the IMPACT Project has been its investment in human capital development. Through targeted capacity-building initiatives, he said, NIPRD has trained more than 100 young Nigerian scientists, researchers and pharmaceutical professionals, equipping them with the scientific knowledge and technical competencies needed to strengthen the country’s medicines ecosystem.

According to him, these interventions represent strategic investments in Nigeria’s future scientific leadership and pharmaceutical self-reliance.

Beyond capacity building, he said, the institute has continued to champion initiatives that contribute directly to national medicine security, including supporting safer antimalaria medicines, promoting pharmaceutical innovation, advancing translational research and strengthening engagement with local manufacturers.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), Abdul Mukhtar, said the government has launched the Empower Academy, a pharmaceutical manufacturing training platform offering 40 industry-ready courses to about 3,000 Nigerians and participants from other African countries.

Mukhtar said Nigeria recently joined the African Medicines Agency (AMA), describing the move as a game changer because medicines manufactured in Nigeria can now gain easier access to other African markets without requiring separate regulatory approvals in every country.

He observed that government reforms are already delivering measurable gains for local manufacturers, adding that at least 11 pharmaceutical manufacturing projects are expected to be commissioned this year.
Mukhtar noted that the presidential fiscal incentives introduced about a year ago, including zero import duty and zero Value Added Tax (VAT) on equipment and raw materials for pharmaceutical production, have been accessed by 47 pharmaceutical companies, covering imports worth about N26 billion.

He disclosed that four pharmaceutical companies ranked among the Nigerian Exchange’s top 10 performing firms in 2025, attributing the performance to the ongoing reforms. “It will be better if that increased revenue translates into lower-cost drugs, better-quality medicines and more affordable access for our people. We are working on it,” he said.

Mukhtar added that the government has also established MediPool, a group purchasing organisation designed to aggregate demand, negotiate lower prices and improve medicine distribution nationwide. He urged pharmaceutical manufacturers to register on the platform.

On his part, the World Bank Team Lead on the IMPACT Project, Dr Onoriode Ezire, said the bank would continue supporting Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing agenda through a new programme after the close-out of the current project.

Ezire recalled that the World Bank had earlier provided funding to help local manufacturers attain World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification standards before supporting broader interventions through the IMPACT Project.

He said the forthcoming Health Industry and Pharmaceutical Systems (HIPS) Project would provide regulatory strengthening, technical assistance and human capacity development to sustain the gains already recorded.

The European Union Health Programme Manager, Dr Anthony Anyeke, said the EU remains committed to supporting Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing ambitions through investments in regulatory systems, workforce development, technology transfer and improved market access.

He noted that the EU is implementing its Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Products (MAV+) initiative across six African countries, including Nigeria, to strengthen pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystems.

Representing the Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mrs Uduak Udoso, said SON has played a significant role in developing standards that enhance the quality, safety and marketability of pharmaceutical and traditional medicine products across Nigeria and Africa.

She noted that the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s quality infrastructure and ensuring that research outputs are translated into products that are safe, effective, marketable and internationally competitive.

Udoso said SON’s mandate is to develop standards, provide quality assurance through conformity assessment, including inspection, testing and certification, and promote standardisation in industry and commerce, particularly within the pharmaceutical and traditional medicine sectors.

According to her, the mandate provides the technical foundation for ensuring that locally manufactured medicines consistently meet established quality, safety and performance requirements, thereby protecting consumers and building confidence in Nigerian products.

She added that through the development and implementation of Nigerian Industrial Standards for pharmaceuticals, medicinal plants, medical devices and African traditional medicine, SON supports research and innovation, improves manufacturing practices, facilitates regulatory compliance, promotes market access and enhances the competitiveness of Nigerian products in regional and global markets.

Udoso noted that the organisation’s partnership with NIPRD has contributed to the development of standards for pharmaceuticals and African traditional medicine, helping to improve product quality, safety and market competitiveness.