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President Muhammadu Buhari declared, yesteray, in Seoul, South Korea, that Nigeria was ready to become a global hub for sustainable manufacturing and distribution of vaccine and biological pharmaceuticals.
In a statement by Femi Adesina, he also called for the speedy take-off of local production of mRNA vaccines, after the World Health Organisation (WHO) selected Nigeria as one of six African countries to receive technology needed to produce the vaccines.
Addressing the World Bio Summit 2022, President Buhari pledged the country’s commitment to global response to known or emerging pathogens, including the global vaccine assurance ecosystem and equitable access for all.
He stated that Nigeria would continue to investigate bilateral, multilateral, and other opportunities for cutting-edge technology as a center of excellence for vaccine manufacturing and distribution. The meeting was jointly organized by the Government of South Korea and the WHO to discuss the future of vaccines and Bio-Health across the globe.
Buhari said: “As the mRNA technology allows science to shift attention to yet unknown disease threats, we see opportunities to address diseases that have plagued sub-Saharan Africa and third world countries for centuries.
‘‘We believe biomedical scientists can dream of ending the scourge of Malaria, Ebola, Lassa fever and various endemic neglected tropical diseases through development and manufacture of efficacious and affordable vaccines and therapeutics.
‘‘Nigeria invites partners ready to support efforts towards the entire value chain of vaccine technology development in our continent, to consider working with us in Nigeria.’’
The president expressed Nigeria’s preference for a global warehousing and supply chain strategy to meet the needs of most countries, noting that ongoing discussions on the future of vaccines frequently support the decentralization of capacity to produce necessary materials to respond globally to pandemics.
