By: Manoah Kikekon
The Federal Government has signalled its intention to extend the Presidential Executive Order supporting local pharmaceutical manufacturing by an additional two years. This crucial policy move aims to sustain the momentum in Nigeria's healthcare sector, fortify national medicine security, and accelerate the country's transformation into a leading regional pharmaceutical hub for Africa.
The announcement was a major highlight at the 8th Nigeria Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Expo (NPME) 2026, held on September 28 and 29 at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos. Organised by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMGMAN), the two-day high-profile event drew over 200 exhibitors, policymakers, global development partners, and industry leaders to discuss localisation, supply chain resilience, and life sciences sovereignty across the continent.
Delivering the opening address, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, reaffirmed the Federal Government's unwavering commitment to expanding domestic manufacturing. He stressed that a robust local pharmaceutical ecosystem is vital for achieving sustainable healthcare resilience and economic growth.
"We must strengthen capacity across the entire pharmaceutical value chain covering research and development, innovation, sourcing of active pharmaceutical ingredients, formulation, manufacturing, and stringent quality assurance," Dr. Salako stated.
He further urged stakeholders to scale up investments in sophisticated medical technologies, including vaccines and biologics, while championing regional cooperation to eliminate cross-border trade barriers.
Echoing this sentiment, PMGMAN Chairman Oluwatosin Jolayemi noted that while the local industry has grown to represent over 200 manufacturing companies, operators continue to battle steep energy tariffs, infrastructure gaps, and high capital costs. To consolidate recent gains, Jolayemi formally appealed to the Federal Government to extend the current Presidential Executive Order due to expire in March 2027 by another two years.
"Our ambition to become a regional pharmaceutical manufacturing hub must be anchored on a competitive, scalable, and resilient domestic manufacturing ecosystem," Jolayemi emphasised.
Representing the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, the Director of Chemical and Non-Pharmaceutical Industry, Mr. John Okpe Oluwa, reiterated the government's target of achieving 70 percent domestic production of essential medicines. He noted that expanded local capacity will allow Nigerian manufacturers to tap aggressively into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), boosting pharmaceutical exports across West Africa and beyond.
Proposed federal interventions to back these targets include: Expanded tax exemptions and machinery tariff waivers. Incentives for backward integration in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) production. Dedicated low-interest pharmaceutical intervention funds.
Stronger collaboration with NAFDAC and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to guarantee global export competitiveness.
Meanwhile, NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye revealed that 37 local manufacturing facilities are currently undergoing retrofitting and construction upgrades to meet international standards.
"Nigeria cannot afford to reverse the gains recorded in local pharmaceutical manufacturing. We must intensify efforts towards producing vaccines and critical health commodities locally," Prof. Adeyeye warned.
Addressing the broader African market, the Director-General of the African Medicines Agency (AMA), Dr. Delese Mimi Darko, called for deep regulatory harmonisation across African nations. She noted that AMA is designed to coordinate systems and simplify market navigation rather than replace national regulatory authorities.
The expo also featured the prestigious Founders and Industry Leaders Session, which brought together veteran pharmaceutical titans such as Dr. Stella Okoli (Emzor Pharmaceuticals), Dr. Fidelis Ayebae (Fidson Plc), Dr. Olakunle Ekundayo (Drugfield Pharmaceuticals), and Elder Varkey Verghese (Jawal International Limited) to mentor emerging industry entrepreneurs.
As a testament to forward-thinking regulation, PMGMAN officially unveiled its Industry Self-Regulation Quality Plus (ISRQ+) Project. This comprehensive initiative features a five-year Medicine Security Industry Advocacy Strategy (2027–2031), an advanced ISRQ+ laboratory, and a dedicated Data Learning Centre expected to roll out progressively over the next six to ten months.
Closing the epoch-making event, Pharm. Frank Muonemeh charged stakeholders to maintain their dedication to closing Africa's medicine access gap. PMGMAN has subsequently announced preparations for the 9th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo in 2028, as the nation firmly sets its sight on global pharmaceutical prominence.