The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) has called on the government to develop strategic trade and regulatory policies to unlock the untapped potential of the pharmaceutical value chain in Nigeria.
The Chairman of PMG-MAN, Mr. Oluwatosin Jolayemi, made this appeal on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the 7th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers’ Expo (NPME) in Lagos.
The biennial event, organized in collaboration with GPE Expo PVT. LTD, is recognised as the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing exhibition in Central and West Africa.
The Expo, themed “Fostering Partnership and Innovation to Unlock the Pharma Manufacturing Value Chain in Nigeria, Central and West Africa,” saw the participation of 55 international companies from China and India, alongside 100 PMG-MAN members.
Jolayemi stressed the need for collaborative efforts between the government and pharmaceutical companies, highlighting that effective trade, tax, regulatory, and fiscal policies are essential to drive innovation and increase local drug production.
“To create a win-win situation for all stakeholders in this sector, the government and pharma companies must be intentional in crafting policies that foster partnerships and promote the production of safe, affordable, and high-quality medicines for Nigeria’s growing population,” Jolayemi stated.
He emphasized that a robust local pharmaceutical industry requires a proactive and supportive regulatory authority.
“It is imperative that our pharma organizations strike a balance between meeting global certification standards and making substantial investments to boost local production,” he added.
Jolayemi also commended President Bola Tinubu for his executive order on pharmaceutical products, urging relevant government agencies to align their policies to facilitate the order’s implementation rather than hinder it.
The CEO of the Africa Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation (APTF) in Rwanda, Prof. Padmasshree Sampath, delivered the keynote address.
She underscored the vital role of local pharmaceutical manufacturers in ensuring national drug security. Represented by Dr. Olajide Adebola of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), she highlighted the need to ramp up local drug production to 50% to achieve this goal.
Sampath, also a Special Advisor to Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AFDB), called on Nigeria to leverage the APTF, established by the AFDB, to strengthen its pharmaceutical sector.
“The APTF is designed to accelerate African countries’ access to new technologies, processes, and platforms while supporting local pharmaceutical companies to meet WHO standards,” she noted.
She further emphasized the economic importance of a robust pharmaceutical sector, citing its role in enhancing health security and driving economic development.
“The Nigerian pharmaceutical industry is poised to make significant strides by 2034 or sooner, but only with strategic leverage and domestic transparency,” she concluded.
