The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on international partners to support the establishment of vaccine manufacturing facilities in Nigeria. NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made the appeal at the 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo in Lagos, an event organised by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, PMG-MAN, in collaboration with PGE Expo PVT Limited.
Adeyeye acknowledged the significant contributions of international partners to NAFDAC's progress, stating that their continued support would be crucial in achieving the goal of fill-and-finish modular vaccine manufacturing in Nigeria. She noted that NAFDAC had already met eight of the nine functions required for medicines and vaccines benchmarking requirements, and was poised to attain Vaccine Lot Releases Maturity Level Four, which would enable the country to manufacture vaccines locally.
The NAFDAC Director-General commended President Bola Tinubu for the 2024 Executive Order, which she said had brought new life to NAFDAC's long-standing request for incentives for local pharmaceutical manufacturers. The order, she noted, had been instrumental in unlocking the value chain initiative, which aimed to promote the production of quality medicines and vaccines in Nigeria.
Adeyeye revealed that the journey to attaining Vaccine Lot Releases Maturity Level Four had been ongoing, with NAFDAC inspectors conducting compliance audits of over 165 companies across the country for eight months continuously nationwide. The initiative, funded by USAID and executed by the United States Pharmacopeia, had helped ensure that manufacturers produced quality products, ultimately leading to improved patient health outcomes.
Data from NAFDAC showed that imports under the 'Five plus Five' and the Ceiling Initiative had decreased by 70 per cent from 2021 to 2025, as manufacturers took up the challenge of producing quality products themselves. Adeyeye attributed this success to NAFDAC's improving staff competence, laboratory recognition, and successful re-benchmarking, which had strengthened the agency's capacity to regulate the pharmaceutical industry effectively.
The Chairman of PMG-MAN, Mr Oluwatosin Jolayemi, noted that the expo had brought together manufacturers, regulators, investors, and development partners to discuss the future of the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria. He called for the extension of the executive order beyond March 2027, citing the need for policy consistency, investment, capability development, and a predictable operating environment to ensure medicine security and pharmaceutical sovereignty.
The 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo, which attracted 132 companies from several countries, provided a platform for stakeholders to explore opportunities for collaboration and investment in the pharmaceutical sector. NAFDAC's efforts to revive vaccine manufacturing in Nigeria are expected to receive a boost from the international partners' support, which will help the country to reduce its reliance on imported vaccines and medicines.
Key points
- NAFDAC seeks international partners' support to establish vaccine manufacturing facilities in Nigeria.
- Nigeria has met eight of nine functions required for medicines and vaccines benchmarking requirements.
- The country aims to attain Vaccine Lot Releases Maturity Level Four to enable local vaccine manufacturing.
