The Federal Government has set a target of producing at least 70 per cent of Nigeria’s essential healthcare products locally by 2030 as part of efforts to reduce dependence on imported medicines and strengthen the country’s pharmaceutical sector.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this at the opening of the 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo, organised by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).
Salako said the target was being pursued through the Presidential Initiative to Unlock Healthcare Value Chains, the Presidential Executive Order for the Pharmaceutical and Allied Sectors and other measures aimed at transforming the country’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
He said Nigeria must also increase its capacity to produce biologics, vaccines and other critical health technologies to achieve what he described as genuine pharmaceutical sovereignty.
The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, called for increased incentives for local pharmaceutical manufacturers, saying Nigerian producers were patriotic and should be encouraged to do more.
The Minister of State for Industry and Trade, who was represented at the event by John Opeoluwa, said recent disruptions to global supply chains remained a serious threat to the country’s access to essential products.
He said decisive action was needed to strengthen local production and reduce the impact of future disruptions.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, also decried Nigeria’s reliance on imported pharmaceutical products and called for measures to reverse the trend.
Earlier, the Chairman of PMG-MAN, Oluwatosin Jolayemi, and the Director of Food at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Adeola Olufowobi-Yusuf, said the theme of the expo reflected the need to reposition Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing industry for improved performance.
Stakeholders at the conference called for greater collaboration among government, manufacturers and other players in the health sector to improve healthcare delivery and strengthen local pharmaceutical production.
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