The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has said the Federal Government is committed to creating an enabling environment to unlock opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry value chain and healthcare sector in general.
He said there is a need to reduce the bottleneck holding local manufacturers in the pharmaceutical industry to reduce the importation of pharmaceutical products, which would boost the economy of the country and create more job opportunities.
The minster made this known at the 7th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturing Expo 2024 organised by Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMGMAN), in Lagos.
He said: “Government is working hard with the population of this country to ensure everybody is carried along. We do our best to reduce high cost medicines in Nigeria by supporting local pharmaceutical manufacturers and reduce cost of living for Nigerians as we know that poor people are the vulnerable.”
The minister explained that for Nigeria to develop and move forward, issues affecting the pharmaceutical industry couldn’t be neglected.
“We ask foreign investors to come and invest in Nigeria so that at the same time local industries would thrive,” Alausa said. Chairman of PMGMAN, Mr. Oluwatosin Jolayemi, said the association requested that the government should come up with fiscal policies and reduce taxes so as to unlock the untapped value chain in the pharmaceutical space.
“These policies must foster partnerships and encourage the adoption of innovative models,” he noted. He said it is imperative to acknowledge the vital role of pharmacists as primary healthcare providers, especially in the context of routine vaccination efforts.
The Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, reiterated the importance of local production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), as this would help to achieve 70 per cent in local manufacturing of pharmaceutical products.
“Nigerians depend so much on importing pharmaceutical products but we have to change our mindset so as to believe in ourselves and believe in our local pharmaceutical products as well,” Adeyeye said.
She explained that API products are the essential components of pharmaceuticals responsible for the intended therapeutic effect, adding that Nigeria cannot achieve access to quality healthcare without unlocking the healthcare value chain through local API.
Chairman, Organising Committee of the 7th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturing Expo 2024, Phar. Patrick Ajah, said that pharmacists are really prepared to meet up with the requirements set by the regulatory bodies to manufacture medicines locally in Nigeria.
He said: “We are prepared because we want to have 70 per cent of pharmaceutical products produced here in Nigeria and 30 per cent imported into the country. It will help our economy and reduce high cost medicines in Nigeria.”
