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By Doris Obinna
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has emphasised that a strong regulatory framework and intentional government policies are essential for a virile pharmaceutical sector.
Speaking at the commissioning of an ultra-modern facility by SAM Pharmaceuticals Ltd in Sango-Ota, Ogun State, over the weekend, Director-General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the country is witnessing the results of sustained regulatory reforms and policy direction designed to boost local manufacturing and global competitiveness.
She noted that NAFDAC’s “five plus five” policy and the ceiling list initiative have empowered indigenous manufacturers to expand capacity, while stricter regulatory enforcement has strengthened investor confidence.
According to her, no serious investor will commit resources in an environment where regulation is weak.
Adeyeye further revealed that Nigeria’s regulatory system has been re-benchmarked to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Maturity Level 3, making it the first in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve the milestone in the latest assessment. She added that the agency is now targeting Maturity Level 4 and eventual World Listed Authority status; an achievement that would open international markets to Nigerian pharmaceutical products.
“Quality is synonymous with trade. Once quality is built into products, global market access becomes inevitable.”
The NAFDAC boss also disclosed that contract manufacturing has surged sixfold, driven by a policy that compels importers to either establish local production or partner with domestic manufacturers. This, she said, has significantly expanded the country’s manufacturing base.
Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isiaka Salako, said ongoing reforms are critical to achieving medicine sovereignty and unlocking the healthcare value chain. He highlighted presidential initiatives, including an executive order granting zero tariffs on pharmaceutical machinery and raw materials, which currently benefits 87 local manufacturers across nearly 1,000 product categories.
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Salako said these interventions are already yielding results, citing recent WHO prequalification of two Nigerian pharmaceutical products and the establishment of advanced manufacturing facilities, including rapid diagnostic test kit plants.
He added that Nigeria is on the verge of commencing local production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), a major milestone for the region, while a new API capacity-building centre, supported by Afreximbank is nearing completion. The minister urged industry players to ensure that government incentives translate into affordable medicines for Nigerians, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening local production through policy, investment, research, and regulatory reforms.
Similarly, India’s Consul General to Nigeria, Kannan Chockalingham, attributed the sector’s growth to regulatory strength and improved ease of doing business, pledging continued support for Nigeria in technology transfer and capacity building.
On his part, Chairman, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr. Fidelis Ayebae, described policy as the backbone of industrial growth, crediting current reforms for transforming the sector. He noted a shift in the import-to-local production ratio from 70:30 to 50:50, alongside a threefold expansion in industry capacity. “New factories are emerging, old ones are being retooled, and jobs are being created,” he said, adding humourously that many of these developments are concentrated in Ogun State.
Meanwhile, Chairman, SAM Pharmaceuticals, Amit Bhojwani, commended NAFDAC for pushing manufacturers toward global standards, saying the regulator has helped reposition “Made-in-Nigeria” pharmaceuticals as world-class products.
While Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, described the state as a hub of Nigeria’s industrial revolution, pledging continued support to pharmaceutical investors to drive economic growth and employment.
The commissioning, attended by top government officials, industry leaders, and international partners, underscored growing confidence in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector as a driver of both healthcare security and economic development.
