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The federal government has announced plans to launch at least 11 pharmaceutical manufacturing projects in 2026. This is part of efforts to increase local drug production, improve health security, and make Nigeria a major pharmaceutical hub in the region.
Abdul Muktar, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), shared this news on Friday at a important meeting in Abuja. The meeting was held to wrap up activities under the IMPACT Project with the pharmaceutical industry.
Mr Muktar mentioned that these projects are already in progress. They show that investors have more confidence in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector. The projects are expected to make locally produced medicines more available and create chances for exports in West Africa.
The meeting was titled “Strengthening Local Medicines Manufacturing Capacity: From Concept to Action.”
Nigeria imports a large part of the medicines used in the country. This makes the health sector vulnerable to issues like foreign exchange shortages and problems in the global supply chain.
In recent years, the government has worked hard to boost local pharmaceutical production. This effort gained strength after the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the dangers of depending too much on imported medical products.
During the meeting, Mr Muktar noted that the pharmaceutical industry is becoming a big part of Nigeria’s economy. He pointed out that four pharmaceutical companies made it to 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 encouraged local manufacturers to look beyond Nigeria’s population of about 230 million. They should also consider the larger West African market of around 460 million people.
Mr Muktar also mentioned that Nigeria's recent membership in the African Medicines Agency (AMA) will make regional trade easier. This will cut down the need for multiple approvals from different countries in Africa.
He highlighted current investments in manufacturing facilities for diagnostic test kits in Ogun and Nasarawa states. There is also a technology transfer deal with Bayer to produce family planning products in Anambra State.
Mr Muktar emphasized the importance of partnerships. He said the government, development partners, industry players, and research institutions must work together to strengthen Nigeria’s pharmaceutical value chain.
Obi Adigwe, the Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), noted that the IMPACT Project has moved from just talking about policies to taking real steps to enhance local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Represented by Phillip Builders, the head of Pharmaceutical Technology and Raw Materials Development at NIPRD, Mr Adigwe said the project, launched in 2023, aims to help Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturers produce safe and high-quality medicines locally.
He called local pharmaceutical manufacturing a key national priority. This would boost health security and strengthen Nigeria’s economic resilience.
“The global health landscape has repeatedly shown that countries with strong local manufacturing ecosystems are better positioned to respond to public health emergencies,” he said.
Mr Adigwe added that the project has trained over 100 young scientists, researchers, and pharmaceutical professionals. This is to support Nigeria’s medicines manufacturing ecosystem.
He pointed out that for the sector to grow, there needs to be better research, effective quality regulation, proper financing, skilled workers, innovation, and strategic partnerships.
Onoriode Ezire, the World Bank’s Team Lead on the IMPACT Project, said the bank will keep supporting Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing efforts with a new Health Investment Project.
He explained that this initiative will provide regulatory support, technical help, and capacity building to boost local production.
Mr Ezire said the World Bank had previously invested $2 million to help local manufacturers achieve World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification. They later added another $5 million to tackle broader manufacturing challenges.
Anthony Anyeke, the Programme Manager for Health at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, described local pharmaceutical manufacturing as essential for improving health security and diversifying the economy.
He said the European Union is backing Nigeria through its Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Products (MAV+) initiative. This initiative promotes better regulations, workforce development, technology transfer, and improved market access across six African countries.
Also, Ifeanyichukwu Okeke, the Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to improving pharmaceutical quality standards.
In the meeting, represented by Uduak Udoso, the agency’s group head of healthcare standardisation, Mr Okeke said SON will continue to work with NIPRD, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), PVAC, and other stakeholders. They aim to develop standards that encourage innovation, reduce reliance on imports, and expand export opportunities.
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