Expert Urges FG to Support Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

The National Chairman of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP), Bankole Ezebuilo, has called on the Federal Government to support local pharmaceutical manufacturing as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines.

Ezebuilo made the call during the 29th Annual National Conference and Training of NAIP held in Ilorin, Kwara State, with the theme: “Collaboration and Innovation to Build Local Solutions for the Future of Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Industry.”

Addressing pharmaceutical stakeholders, regulators, manufacturers, policymakers, and healthcare professionals at the conference, the NAIP chairman warned that no nation can afford to outsource its healthcare security while urging aggressive local production to reverse the trend.

According to him, Nigeria is now at a critical crossroad where it must choose between continued dependence on imported medicines or the pursuit of pharmaceutical sovereignty.

Heavy reliance on imported pharmaceutical products, he said, continues to weaken treatment access, expose the country to supply disruptions, and increase vulnerability during international crises.

He noted that sustainability in healthcare delivery cannot be imported but must be deliberately built through a united ecosystem involving government, industry players, academia, development partners, and regulators.

“A nation that cannot produce its own medicines is a nation negotiating with its health, and negotiation is not where you want to be when lives are at stake,” he said.

Highlighting the need for deeper industrial reforms, he pointed that although Nigeria manufactures some finished pharmaceutical products locally, the majority of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) are still imported.

He called on government to provide enabling policies while urging investors to commit boldly to pharmaceutical manufacturing and innovation. He also appealed to academic institutions to align research activities with practical industrial and healthcare needs.

“If we get it right, we will transform this industry, create jobs, reduce dependency, compete globally, and deliver healthcare locally,” he said.