GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc has announced Fidson Health Healthcare Plc as its contract manufacturing partner in Nigeria.
As a result of the latest development, GSK would be transitioning the manufacturing of five of its products to Fidson Healthcare Plc from Q3 2021, while establishing GSK as one of the leading healthcare multinational companies localising productions of its brands via local contract manufacturing.
The decision to engage Fidson came after a detailed and rigorous request for quotation, RFQ, a process that involved a number of local manufacturers in Nigeria.
Speaking on the deal, Managing Director of GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr. Bhushan Akshikar explained that the new move would improve company’s services and capacity in Nigeria.
“Working with a local contract manufacturer for the supply of our products, where practical will build local expertise, transfer technical knowledge and improve local production capacities in the country, we believe this decision will allow us to build a more sustainable commercial business, enable us to continue our efforts in supporting access to our consumer health products, medicines and vaccines across Nigeria and West Africa”, he said.
In his remark, Chief Executive Officer of Fidson, Dr. Fidelis Ayebae said: “Future growth and success in the healthcare industry would be fostered on the right partnerships, and we could not have asked for better partners at this stage of our growth.
“This partnership justifies the investment made in our ultra-modern, GMP-compliant factory and will certainly promote the transfer of technical knowhow and technology , while improving access to quality medicines for people of West African sub-region and beyond”.
He added: “The contract manufacturing strategy adopted by GSK is in line with the industrialisation plan of the Nigerian government – the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP), which is a bold plan to ensure Nigeria becomes the preferred pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in West Africa.”
