Health
Local Drug Manufacturing Key To Exposing Counterfeit Medicines – May & Baker Boss
By Vivian Ihechu
Mr Patrick Ajah, the Managing Director of May & Baker Nigeria Plc., says strong local manufacturing and nationwide field presence give domestic drug makers a crucial edge in combating counterfeit medicines.
Ajah, a Pharmacist, spoke in his office in Lagos during the presentation of the 2026 Excellence in Leadership Award plaque to him by the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF).
Speaking on the company’s experience with fake products, Ajah said local manufacturers benefited from close relationships with pharmacies and wholesalers built over years of on-the-ground engagement across the country.
He explained that, unlike foreign firms, local companies had staff embedded nationwide who could be alerted quickly when suspicious products appeared on shelves.
According to him, pharmacies and distributors often act as the first line of defence when counterfeit products slip into the supply chain because they know the company’s personnel and what genuine packaging looks like.
“As local manufacturers, I think the benefit we have is that companies like us have our people across the country.
“We have our salespeople across the country.
“If somebody fakes our product, most of the pharmacies where the products are going to get into, they know our people.
“Most of the time, when there’s a challenge, they are the ones to call us and say, ‘Ah, we notice this.”
According to him, this kind of rapid feedback is harder for foreign manufacturers to achieve, especially as more multinational pharmaceutical companies scale down or exit the Nigerian market.
He noted that companies without local presence struggled to detect and trace fake products quickly, exposing patients and the health system to greater risks from substandard and falsified medicines.
“But if the company is outside the country and they take their product, it’s difficult for them to know, especially now that many multinationals are not in the country.”
While commending the efforts of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), he stressed that the size and complexity of Nigeria’s market made enforcement challenging.
“Also, the effort of NAFDAC has helped, but Nigeria is too big, so sometimes it’s difficult to fight all of those.”
On the macroeconomic environment, the May & Baker chief described recent years of foreign exchange volatility as particularly harsh for manufacturers dependent on imported inputs.
He also reflected on the strain forex conditions placed on operators.
He noted that as the Central Bank of Nigeria moved away from earlier interventionist schemes for manufacturers, the shift had left producers more exposed to market-driven exchange rate swings and higher input costs.
Nevertheless, in spite of headwinds, Ajah maintained that a robust local manufacturing base, backed by strong regulatory support and vigilant supply-chain partners, remained Nigeria’s best defence against counterfeit medicines.
According to him, the company has done very well over the past year, while aiming at higher targets in the nearest future.
“We recently concluded our strategy session, although I cannot disclose the details yet because we are still awaiting feedback.”
Looking at the last five years, he said that the company had quadrupled its revenue and looked toward doubling their current revenue within the next three years.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
