Politics
Nigeria pushes for strong pharmaceutical partnerships
NIGERIA’S pharmaceutical sub-sector is seeking collaboration with international pharmaceutical companies as part of efforts to strengthen local manufacturing capacity and reduce dependence on imported medicines, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) has said.
The PCN Registrar, Ibrahim Ahmed, told The FactCheckHub Editor, Motunrayo Joel, in an exclusive interview recently that his organisation had interacted with many such companies.
“We appreciate technology transfer, and we would also welcome them to establish factories in our country. We are ready to encourage them,” Ahmed said.
The call for international support reflects broader concerns about medicine security in Nigeria, Africa’s largest pharmaceutical market, and presents potential opportunities for international pharmaceutical companies seeking to expand their presence in the country.
Ahmed said that the number of the country’s local drug manufacturers had increased significantly from about 130 to around 180. However, with a population of over 240 million, the country Nigeria still has significant gaps to address in achieving medicine security.
Nigeria’s ratio of imported to locally manufactured medicines was once 70:30, but Ahmed said this has since changed significantly.
“We are still not where we are supposed to be, but at least we have taken some great steps forward. Previously, the ratio was about 70:30, 70 per cent in favour of importation and 30 per cent in favour of local production. But the ratio has improved greatly,” he said.
Ahmed noted that the only way to improve access to medicines and other health commodities is to approach the issue from the perspective of medicine security.
“You cannot improve access solely through importation because your population remains at risk of whatever foreigners send to you,” he said. “But whatever will be produced locally is subject to thorough regulatory review, giving you assurance and a guarantee of safety and security.”
Pharmaceutical compounding
Pharmaceutical compounding
Ahmed noted that the only way to improve access to medicines and other health commodities is to approach the issue from the perspective of medicine security.
“You cannot improve access solely through importation because your population remains at risk of whatever foreigners send to you,” he said. “But whatever will be produced locally is subject to thorough regulatory review, giving you assurance and a guarantee of safety and security.”
Ahmed also highlighted that pharmaceutical compounding remains an underutilised component of Nigeria’s medicine access strategy.
“Unfortunately, in the past, Nigeria was doing very well in compounding, but we abandoned it in favour of importing everything from outside. Not everything we need has to wait for industry production. Some products can be made through simple compounding, improving access and reducing cost because compounded products are generally much cheaper.”
He added that compounding could serve as an alternative source of supply for selected medicines during shortages and supply chain disruptions.
However, stakeholders warn that medicine shortages remain a growing concern, particularly for imported products.
In line with these concerns, Funmi Ajao, a pharmacist and public health professional, told this reporter in a recent interview that shortage of imported drugs have increased significantly due to forex instability, import dependency, rising logistics costs, and global supply disruptions.
A former president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Olumide Akintayo, has pointed to similar reasons for medicine shortages, noting in a May 2026 press conference that drug availability is influenced by favorable procurement policies.
Essential Medicines
Ajao said essential medicines are increasingly affected across both hospital and community pharmacy settings.
She said some of the imported medicines most affected by supply challenges include oncology drugs, insulin, cardiovascular medicines, antibiotics, immunoglobulins, and specialised pediatric formulations, which have become increasingly difficult to source consistently.
Medicine prices have risen sharply, in some cases by more than over 100–300 per cent, largely due to exchange rate fluctuations, increased importation costs, inflation, and higher transportation expenses, she added.
“Forex volatility has reduced purchasing power, disrupted procurement planning, and increased operational uncertainty for pharmacies and hospitals. Many facilities now struggle to maintain stable medicine inventory levels.”
Ajao lamented that these factors also created room for counterfeit and substandard medicines to infiltrate the market, especially through informal and unregulated distribution channels.
“Many patients now delay, reduce, or completely discontinue treatments due to high medicine costs, especially for chronic illnesses requiring long-term therapy,” she said.
She added that locally manufactured medicines are considered reliable, particularly when produced by reputable firms operating under established regulatory guidelines. However, local manufacturers continue to face significant constraints, including dependence on imported raw materials, limited production capacity and inadequate infrastructure.
Strengthening local manufacturers
Tanimola Akande, a professor of public health at University of Ilorin, noted that strengthening local manufacturing of drugs is critical to improving access and reducing long-term medicine costs.
According to him, targeted government interventions such as tax waivers, improved policy incentives, and support for local production, could help reduce import dependence while strengthening Nigeria’s pharmaceutical supply chain.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can provide a larger market for Nigerian drug manufacturers. It can also reduce dependence on imported medicines, as large pharmaceutical companies establish production locally in Nigeria. Through large-scale drug production, the price of medicines could decrease. This could potentially enhance drug transfer and employment opportunities,” he stated.