From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector, have renewed calls for a phased halt to the importation of medicines, warning that continued dependence on foreign drugs poses serious risks to national health security and economic stability.
The National Chairman of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP), Mr. Bankole Ezebuilo, made the call during the 29th Annual National Conference of the association held in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Speaking on the conference theme, “Collaboration and Innovation to Build Local Solutions for the Future of Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Industry,” Ezebuilo said Nigeria must take deliberate steps to strengthen local manufacturing capacity and reduce its overreliance on imported drugs.
“No nation can outsource its health security, and no sector can thrive in isolation,” he said. “The challenges before us are too complex, urgent, and interconnected for any single entity to solve alone.”
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He explained that innovation and collaboration are critical to repositioning the sector, noting that “doing more of the same will not take us where we need to go,” while stressing that sustainable solutions must be built locally.
Ezebuilo warned that Nigeria’s current dependence on imported medicines—estimated at over 70 per cent—leaves the country vulnerable to foreign exchange fluctuations, global supply disruptions, and external policy decisions.
“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.
He, however, pointed out that Nigeria stands at a crossroads, with a choice between continued dependence and a future driven by local innovation and resilient manufacturing.
“On one path lies sovereignty—local innovation, resilient manufacturing, and an industry that not only serves Nigeria but leads Africa,” he added.
The NAIP chairman called on the Federal Government to provide enabling policies, while urging industry players to invest boldly and academia to align research with practical industry needs.
He stressed the importance of building a strong, integrated system across the sector, warning that poor skill alignment, weak capacity, and shallow knowledge would continue to hinder progress.
“When skills are misplaced, innovation stalls; when knowledge is shallow, quality is compromised; and when capacity is weak, we remain dependent on others,” he said.
Ezebuilo described capacity building as the backbone of industry growth, noting that it transforms “willingness into competence, competence into excellence, and excellence into industry-wide impact.”
He added that the conference was structured to provide hands-on training that would equip participants with practical skills needed to drive local production.
“To build local solutions, we must stop importing not just medicines, but also ideas. The future of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry will not be imported; it will be built by skilled hands, trained minds, and a united ecosystem,” he said.
In her keynote address, Dr. Henrietta Ukwu, Executive Vice President and Chief Regulatory Officer at Novavax USA, underscored the need for sustained investment in capacity building, quality assurance, and infrastructure.
Delivering a lecture titled “Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Industry as a Pillar of National Health, Wealth, and Security,” Ukwu said the country has abundant natural resources and expertise that remain underutilised.
“We have incredible expertise and all it takes to move the pharmaceutical industry forward, but we are not fully harnessing the natural resources Nigeria is endowed with,” she said.
While acknowledging ongoing efforts by the Federal Government, she noted that more work is needed to create a globally competitive pharmaceutical sector.
Ukwu recommended the adoption of sustainable technologies, improved infrastructure, consistent manufacturing standards, and provision of stable electricity and water supply to support local production.
Earlier, Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Mr. Theophilus Emeka, urged participants to embrace unity, collaboration, and innovation as key drivers for building a sustainable pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria.
