The federal government of Nigeria has announced plans to commission at least 11 pharmaceutical manufacturing projects in 2026 as part of a broader strategy to expand local drug production, strengthen health security, and position the country as a regional pharmaceutical manufacturing hub. The announcement was made by Abdul Muktar, National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Friday. The meeting, themed “Strengthening Local Medicines Manufacturing Capacity: From Concept to Action,” was convened to finalize activities under the IMPACT Project with the pharmaceutical industry.
Projects Reflect Growing Investor Confidence
Muktar stated that the projects, already underway, reflect growing investor confidence in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector. He emphasized that these initiatives are expected to improve access to locally produced medicines while creating export opportunities across West Africa. Nigeria currently imports a significant proportion of its medicines, leaving the health sector vulnerable to foreign exchange shortages and global supply chain disruptions. The government has intensified efforts to increase domestic production, a push that gained momentum after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the risks of heavy reliance on imported medical products.
Pharmaceutical Sector Emerging as Economic Contributor
Speaking at the meeting, Muktar noted that the pharmaceutical industry is emerging as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy. He revealed that four pharmaceutical companies ranked among the top 10 best-performing firms on the Nigerian Exchange in 2025. “Every year, traditionally, you only see oil and gas companies and banks, but now pharmaceutical companies are already getting there,” he said. He urged local manufacturers to look beyond Nigeria’s estimated population of 230 million and tap into the wider West African market of about 460 million people. Muktar added that Nigeria’s recent accession to the African Medicines Agency (AMA) would simplify regional trade by reducing the need for multiple regulatory approvals across African countries.
Current Investments and Partnerships
Muktar highlighted current investments, including diagnostic test kit manufacturing facilities in Ogun and Nasarawa states, as well as a technology transfer agreement with Bayer to produce family planning products in Anambra State. He stressed the need for partnerships among the government, development partners, industry players, and research institutions to strengthen the country’s pharmaceutical value chain.
IMPACT Project Moves to Implementation
The Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Obi Adigwe, represented by the institute’s Head of Pharmaceutical Technology and Raw Materials Development, Phillip Builders, said the IMPACT Project has moved beyond policy discussions to practical interventions. Launched as a pilot in 2023, the project was designed to build the capacity of Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturers to produce safe, high-quality medicines locally. Adigwe described local pharmaceutical manufacturing as a national development priority that would improve health security and strengthen economic resilience. “The global health landscape has repeatedly demonstrated that countries with strong local manufacturing ecosystems are better positioned to respond to public health emergencies,” he said.
Training and Capacity Building
Adigwe added that the project has trained more than 100 young scientists, researchers, and pharmaceutical professionals to support Nigeria’s medicines manufacturing ecosystem. He said sustained growth in the sector would require stronger research, effective quality regulation, adequate financing, skilled manpower, innovation, and strategic partnerships.
Development Partners Reaffirm Support
The World Bank’s Team Lead on the IMPACT Project, Onoriode Ezire, said the bank would continue supporting Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing agenda through a new Health Investment Project. According to him, the initiative will provide regulatory support, technical assistance, and capacity building to strengthen local production. Ezire noted that the World Bank had previously invested $2 million in helping local manufacturers attain World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification and later provided an additional $5 million to address broader manufacturing challenges.
EU and SON Commitments
The Programme Manager for Health at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, Anthony Anyeke, described local pharmaceutical manufacturing as critical to improving health security and diversifying the economy. He said the European Union is supporting Nigeria through its Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Products (MAV+) initiative, which promotes regulatory strengthening, workforce development, technology transfer, and improved market access across six African countries. The Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Ifeanyichukwu Okeke, represented by Uduak Udoso, the agency’s group head of healthcare standardisation, reaffirmed SON’s commitment to strengthening pharmaceutical quality standards. Okeke said SON would continue working with NIPRD, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), PVAC, and other stakeholders to develop standards that encourage innovation, reduce dependence on imports, and expand export opportunities.
