Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has commissioned Nigeria’s first large scale rapid diagnostic test (IVT) production facility and second of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The company, CODIX BIO Limited, an In-vitro Diagnostic (IVD) factory, is located along the Sagamu expressway, with scope of production that concentrates on the manufacturing of test kits for HIV, Malaria, as well as Hepatitis B and C.
The governor, while speaking at the event on Friday, expressed delight over the giant strides, adding that with the capacity of the facility to produce about 147 million test kits yearly, the factory marks the dawn of a new era in bio-medical innovation in the country.
“Today, we open a transformative chapter in Nigeria’s health care landscape with the official commissioning of CODIX BIO Limited
“It is a bold declaration that Nigeria is ready to strengthen its public health infrastructure and significantly reduce our dependence on imported diagnostic tools.
“We appreciate that this initiative is indeed aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is committed to reforms towards unlocking the healthcare value chain through local manufacturing firms to reduce importation,” he said.
Abiodun added that over 90 per cent of diagnostic kits used in Africa are being imported, mainly from Europe, Asia and North America, according to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2023, noting that the test kits offer a game changing tool in early detection and also serve as desirable instruments for effective disease management.
He said that the investment by CODIX BIO Limited speaks volume of his administration’s economic vision, adding that the investment would help the country save foreign exchange, create jobs, build industrial capacity, create employment and improve health delivery.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate Muhammad, commended Abiodun for the massive turnaround in the area of infrastructure across the state, saying the state government has found the magic source to connect talent with industrialization, which he said would fuel growth in the area of medical manufacturing.
“Your Excellency, the Governor of Ogun State, I have to appreciate what I have seen in your state in terms of industrialisation, the convergence and ecosystem you are trying to create.
“I came from the airport and to see what is going on around and what I have heard about it, I think you’ve played an incredibly viable leadership in this direction and I commend you and your team for what you have done.
“I hope other states, including my state, can learn a few things from what you have done in industrialising Ogun State,” Pate said.
Also, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, commended the governor for the good job done by his administration at the Gateway International Airport as well as making the business environment friendly for investors in the state.
In his earlier remarks, the Chief Executive Officer, CODIX BIO Limited, Mr. Sammy Ogunjimi, said the factory is designed to be one of the largest and most advanced in Africa, adding that the goal of the company is to serve not only Nigeria, but also the ECOWAS region and the entire continent of Africa.
“In Geneva, this factory, CODIX BIO, is being announced as the first factory selected by the partnership of WHO, SD Biosensor and MPP under the WHO H-TAP programme to support regional manufacturing of rapid diagnostic test kits in Africa. What this means is that the factory is now officially within the scope of WHO and other partners for technical assistance,” he noted.
Ogunjimi said that the project could not have been possible without the enabling support of the governor.
