By: Manoah Kikekon
LAGOS, NIGERIA — Nigeria is stepping up its aggressive drive toward health sovereignty, with top federal officials, policymakers, and global industry stakeholders set to converge on Lagos for the 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo (NPME 2026).
Scheduled to hold from September 28 to 29, 2026, at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos, the high-profile event aims to galvanize efforts to slash the nation's reliance on imported medications and boost domestic production capacity to a ambitious 70 per cent target.
The two-day exhibition jointly organized by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) and GPE Expo Pvt. Ltd. will be headlined by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.
Other notable dignitaries expected include the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh; Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako; and the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Moji Christianah Adeyeye. Operating under the theme *“Regional Manufacturing: Advancing Africa’s Pharma & Lifescience Sovereignty through Localization,”* the expo will run alongside the Nigeria Lab Expo, pulling participants from five continents.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, the Chairman of the NPME Committee, Pharm. Patrick Ajah, emphasized that building native industrial capacity is non-negotiable for national security.
"The expo will provide a strategic platform for attracting foreign direct investment, facilitating technical partnerships, promoting local sourcing of raw materials and strengthening the capacity of Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturers," Ajah stated.
Backing these projections, PMG-MAN Executive Secretary and CEO, Pharm. Frank Muonemeh, pointed out profound structural changes already sweeping the sector. Citing official NAFDAC metrics, Muonemeh noted that imported finished pharmaceutical products dropped significantly from 4.03 billion units down to 1.13 billion units, successfully driving the import-to-local ratio of essential medicines to an even 50:50 split.
Despite impressive strides including NAFDAC's attainment of WHO Maturity Level 3 local manufacturers continue to face heavy operational roadblocks. Muonemeh revealed that local drug makers expend over 40 percent of their revenue on electricity and alternative power generation alone, heavily crippling their global competitiveness against counterparts in Asia who spend under 10 percent.
Industry leaders are subsequently pressing the Federal Government for targeted interventions. Pharm. Olusola Akande, Executive Director of Drugfield Pharma Ltd, called for an expansion of tax exemptions and incentives covering Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). Currently, existing interventions cater to barely 5 percent of required local raw materials.
Furthermore, PMG-MAN has formally appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to extend the current two-year Presidential Executive Order window to five years, offering manufacturers the long-term policy certainty required for heavy capital investments.