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Doris Obinna
The Managing Director, Phamatex Industries Limited, Prince Christopher Nebe, has urged the Federal Government to provide amenities that would help Nigerian manufacturers produce at competitive costs as local manufacturers in the country needs help as well as subsidised loan to enhance productivity and boast local content.
This is as he lamented that local manufacturers in the country are in a pathetic situation as indigenous pharmaceutical company like Phamatex’s can only boast of 30 per cent ulitilsation capacity. He noted however, that the influx of foreign pharmaceuticals into the country has been a major headache.
He said this during a facility tour at the company’s pharmaceutical factory in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos. According to Nebe, until the Federal Government begin to look inward, and provide zero duties, that is zero per cent on raw materials to manufacturers, only then would production cost go down.
While highlighting also power shortage as well as bad roads, as part of the challenges that local manufacturers face in the country, he said: “The market is not there and quality is all about constant supply of electricity for effective productivity.”
“You can see the road; even before you get here it’s terrible. The power supply situation is in a bad state. We have a very big gas plant here to generate our own power. We get our light from Gaslink; they generate light and we transmit with our own very expensive gas plant.
“The Niger Delta crisis did not help matters. So, to remain in business, we spend a lot of money on diesel for our generators. Despite all these, the company however, has been able to face the stiff competition in the industry.”
“Again, I don’t think the government has paid enough attention to the manufacturing sector. If they are serious, they know what to do to provide them with what they need and monitor them closely,” he added.
On his part, the Plant Manager, Mr. Ezekiel Ibidapo said, the company has a world class, state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing complex to provide quality healthcare to Nigerians and the world, through innovation, high quality standards and international best practices.
According to him, despite these challenges, the company still engaged in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of pharmaceutical products, as well as importation and distribution of finished pharmaceutical products to ensures consumer’s satisfaction.
Speaking further, Ibidapo said, Phamatex has only been in existence for about 7 years and currently has about 74 products. Out of this figure 46 have been fully registered with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), while 28 are going through various stages of product development and registration.
“It is worthy to note that Phamatex is currently pursuing product prequalification with World Health Organisation (WHO). Product of interest is Levofloxacin 500mg film coated tablets while also undergoing USP-PQM (Promoting the Quality of medicines) capacity building program. While, product of interest for international certification is Levofloxacin 500mg film coated tablets and Artemether / Lumefantrine (80/480mg) tablets.”
“The company has three production key units; oral dosage manufacturing unit, oral liquid manufacturing unit and packaging unit comprising of; oral solid packing (OSD) and oral liquid packaging (OLD).
“Meanwhile, it is our vision to be a leading manufacturer of pharmaceutical products with an international outlook and bringing innovative solutions to customers around the world,” he added.
