Quote from Yahaya_Y9 on May 10, 2026, 10:58 am

 

The National Chairman of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP), Pharm. (Sir) Bankole Ezebuilo, has called on the Federal Government to declare a national emergency on pharmaceutical manufacturing. Speaking at the 29th Yearly National Conference in Ilorin, Ezebuilo emphasized that Nigeria has the potential to become the definitive pharmaceutical hub for the African continent. He argued that the current dependence on imported medicines is a security risk that must be addressed through aggressive local policy support.

 

The chairman highlighted that for Nigeria to achieve this status, there must be a deliberate shift toward creating an enabling environment for local manufacturers. This includes providing access to low-interest credit, improving power supply to industrial zones, and offering tax incentives for companies investing in Research and Development (R&D). He noted that the global supply chain disruptions seen in recent years should serve as a wake-up call for Nigeria to prioritize self-sufficiency in essential medicines.

 

Furthermore, NAIP urged the government to strengthen regulatory frameworks through the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and NAFDAC to ensure that locally produced drugs meet international standards for export. Ezebuilo pointed out that a thriving local pharmaceutical industry would not only provide affordable healthcare but also create thousands of high-skilled jobs for Nigerian youth. The association pledged to work closely with the Ministry of Health to implement a roadmap for industrial growth.

 

Stakeholders at the conference also discussed the challenges of sourcing raw materials, most of which are currently imported. The NAIP leadership proposed the establishment of a “Petrochemical-to-Pharma” initiative, leveraging Nigeria’s oil and gas resources to produce active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) locally. By closing this supply chain gap, Nigeria could significantly reduce the cost of drug production and become more competitive on the global stage.

 

https://guardian.ng/news/naip-urges-bold-policies-to-transform-nigeria-into-pharmaceutical-powerhouse/