Firm seeks support, policy intervention to boost local manufacturing

Messrs Healthgarde International, a health and wellness company has called for financial support and policy intervention to enable local manufacturing of health and wellness products in the country.

The Chief Executive of Healthgarde International, Nneka Nwarueze, who made the call at the organisation’s 2025 yearly convention held in Lagos, said with financial support, local manufacturers can expand their operations, reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports, and create more jobs within the country.

She highlighted the impact of inflation, exchange rate fluctuations and difficulties in securing funding as major hurdles to scaling local production.

According to Nwarueze, Healthgarde has been working on integrating local natural resources into its product line to reduce dependency on imports and cut costs, however, the high cost of acquiring manufacturing equipment remains a major setback.

Nwarueze highlighted how difficult it is to access financial support in Nigeria’s business environment, noting that attempts and progress to secure financing for its local manufacturing plant have been slow.

She said the initial estimated cost of setting up the manufacturing facility was around $300 million, but due to currency depreciation and inflation, the figure has now risen to approximately $700 million.

“The machines we need are not available in Nigeria, so we have to import them, and the rising costs make it even harder,” she explained.

Despite these challenges, Nwarueze said the company remains hopeful that its manufacturing plant will commence operations before the end of the year if the financial institution funding is approved.

She also said the untapped potential in Nigeria’s health sector, particularly in alternative medicine, citing countries like Vietnam, South Africa, and Ghana as examples of nations that have embraced herbal and natural health solutions.

Beyond funding, Nwarueze urged the government to implement business-friendly policies that ease the importation of essential raw materials and manufacturing equipment.

“Even when we bring in raw materials, clearing them through customs is a huge challenge,” she said.

The Chief Operating Officer of Healthgarde, Lovelyn Bassey, said the organisation is poised for global expansion and deeper market penetration, as it shifts towards a franchise model and strengthens its local manufacturing capabilities.

Bassey shared insights on the organisation’s growth trajectory, its resilience through economic turbulence and its commitment to empowering entrepreneurs.

She said since its launch, the organisation has weathered economic challenges, including global recessions and inflation, to establish itself as a leading health and wellness brand.

As of today, Bassy said the company operates in about seven countries, with its products reaching even more through distribution networks.

Looking ahead, she said Healthgarde is embracing a franchise model to expand its international reach without the need for physical offices in every market.

“We’re going into partnerships with different courier companies to make it easier to get our products into different countries. This will allow customers, wherever they are, to access our products at a cheaper rate,” Bassey explained.

She said as the company moves toward local manufacturing, it plans to offer a diverse product mix, balancing imported and locally produced health supplements.

“Our product basket will include both international and locally manufactured products, giving customers the best of both worlds. Customers will have the choice between imported supplements or locally made alternatives, all held to the same quality standards,” Bassey explained.