To enhance the global competitiveness of Nigerian pharmaceuticals, the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has invested over N6 billion from internally generated revenue over the last eight years. This investment focuses on developing the infrastructure needed to elevate Nigeria’s pharmaceutical products to international standards, according to Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director of NAFDAC.
Speaking at BusinessDay’s policy intervention series, which centered on transforming NAFDAC into a catalyst for economic development, Adeyeye detailed the agency’s strategic restructuring. This restructuring includes significant expansions in laboratory capacities across Nigeria, setting the stage for the nation to achieve the World Health Organisation Maturity Level 4 (ML4) and World Listed Authority Status by 2025. Such certifications are crucial as they will enhance the trust and marketability of Nigerian medical products on a global scale.
Highlighting the immediate impacts of these upgrades, Adeyeye noted a dramatic increase in the local production and global utilization of Nigerian pharmaceuticals. She cited a significant uptick in orders from international organizations like UNICEF, which used about 600,000 cartons of locally produced, NAFDAC-inspected therapeutic food in 2023, a sharp increase from less than 100,000 in 2018.
“Economically speaking, achieving world-class certification means that the medical products we approve can be traded globally. Quality is crucial to economic development,” Adeyeye explained. This move is expected not only to boost Nigeria’s pharmaceutical exports but also to strengthen the overall economy by attracting international buyers and partners who prioritize product quality.
Additionally, Adeyeye highlighted the growth in local manufacturing capacity, with over 20 newly registered drug manufacturers in Nigeria now operating WHO-compliant facilities. This marks a 12 percent increase in the number of active local Finished Pharmaceutical Product (FPP) manufacturers. As of early 2024, NAFDAC had received 143 applications for regulatory approval of new pharmaceutical manufacturing layouts, with 73 percent of these applications already approved to commence construction. However, the devaluation of the naira has posed challenges, with only 35 percent of those approved managing to complete their facilities and move towards operational status.
Adeyeye further emphasized the ongoing infrastructure development projects by NAFDAC, which include eight new buildings across various states including Oyo, Ondo, Rivers, Imo, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, and Bauchi. This is part of a larger portfolio of 26 projects aimed at enhancing NAFDAC’s operational capabilities, which include commissioned projects in Ogun, Osun, Kwara, Lagos, and others in various stages of completion across the country.
The agency is also focusing on modernizing its Information Communication Technology (ICT) systems to improve digitalization and regulatory processes. Adeyeye admitted that past challenges with the agency’s website had hindered public access to information, prompting a comprehensive overhaul to enhance transparency and accessibility.
Moreover, NAFDAC is boosting its regulatory inspection capabilities with the procurement of over 140 vehicles. This logistical enhancement will support the agency’s extensive duties, which include market control, import and export supervision, and ensuring compliance with statutory requirements across Nigeria’s numerous entry points such as airports, seaports, and land borders.
In her concluding remarks, Adeyeye revealed plans to expand NAFDAC’s presence across the country, aiming to establish desk offices in all 774 local government areas, focusing initially on at least three desks per senatorial district. This expansion is part of a broader strategy to decentralize operations and enhance the agency’s responsiveness and efficiency nationwide.
Frank Aigbogun, Publisher of BusinessDay, praised the forum as a pivotal platform for driving forward the development and transformation goals of NAFDAC, emphasizing its role in boosting Nigeria’s economic landscape through strategic interventions in the pharmaceutical sector.
