The Federal Government has restated its commitment to expanding pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria, describing stronger domestic production as essential to medicine security, healthcare resilience and sustainable economic development. In a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare……
The Federal Government has restated its commitment to expanding pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria, describing stronger domestic production as essential to medicine security, healthcare resilience and sustainable economic development.
In a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the commitment on Monday, September 28, 2026, while declaring open the 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo at the Harbour Point Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The expo is being held under the theme, “Regional Manufacturing: Advancing Africa’s Pharma and Life-Science Sovereignty through Localization.”
Salako said the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with changes in global healthcare financing, had demonstrated the need for Nigeria and other African countries to strengthen their capacity to manufacture medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other critical health technologies locally.
“Our conversation can no longer be limited to whether we can access medicines when global supply chains are functioning. The more fundamental question is whether we can produce what our people need when those supply chains are disrupted. Medicine security is therefore not simply a health-sector objective; it is an issue of national resilience and sovereignty,” he said.
According to the Minister, the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has introduced measures aimed at revitalising local pharmaceutical manufacturing and strengthening the healthcare value chain.
He listed the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and the Presidential Executive Order for Pharmaceutical and Allied Sectors among the interventions designed to support domestic production.
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Salako disclosed that PVAC had secured commitments of about $2 billion at single-digit interest rates, with about 50 Nigerian health firms in advanced discussions for funding. He added that the initiative was targeting at least 70 per cent local production of essential healthcare products by 2030.
He further stated that 87 local manufacturers were benefiting from the Presidential Executive Order, which provides zero tariffs on pharmaceutical machinery, active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients across almost 1,000 Harmonised System codes.
The Minister said the order also provides fiscal and non-fiscal measures, including tariff relief and market-shaping mechanisms, to encourage increased local production.
Salako highlighted ongoing efforts to expand domestic manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients, vaccines, biologics, diagnostics and other essential health commodities.
He cited the operationalisation of the NIPRD API Capacity Building and Concept Production Centre, efforts to develop commercial API manufacturing capacity and initiatives aimed at localising the production of HIV, Hepatitis and Syphilis diagnostic products.
He also called for increased investment in research and development, particularly in the utilisation of Nigeria’s phytomedicinal resources.
“Localization must not mean simply importing the active ingredients, packaging materials and technologies and assembling the final product here. We must progressively build capacity across the entire value chain—from research and raw materials to formulation, quality assurance, manufacturing, packaging and distribution. That is how localization becomes genuine capability,” the Minister stated.
Salako said the establishment of Medipool, Nigeria’s national Group Purchasing Organisation for essential medicines and medical commodities, would create more predictable and large-scale demand for local manufacturers.
He explained that the platform would achieve this by aggregating procurement, negotiating bulk purchases and improving supply-chain efficiency.
The Minister urged pharmaceutical manufacturers, researchers, investors and development partners to embrace regional manufacturing and take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area to expand markets and improve the competitiveness of African pharmaceutical producers.
He stressed that Nigeria’s pharmaceutical transformation would require sustained investment, innovation, regulatory alignment and greater market integration.
“We must move from dependency to capability, from fragmented markets to regional scale, and from localization to genuine African pharmaceutical sovereignty. Our health security will be built not only in hospitals and laboratories, but also in our factories, universities, research centres, supply chains and investment decisions,” he said.
Salako expressed confidence that collaboration among government, manufacturers, researchers, investors and other stakeholders would help strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare value chain and build a more resilient pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem.
The 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo is part of wider efforts to boost local medicine production, with Nigeria targeting 70 per cent domestic production of medicines.
