Nigeria’s quest for universal health coverage is driving renewed efforts to boost local pharmaceutical production, reduce dependence on imported medicines and strengthen the country’s healthcare value chain.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 2026 Healthcare Industry Joint Annual Review in Abuja, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative on Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, PVAC, Dr Abdu Mukhtar, says stronger collaboration among government, private-sector operators and development partners is helping to address existing gaps and remove barriers to investment in the sector.
Dr Mukhtar says the Federal Government is making progress in attracting private-sector investment, creating employment opportunities and facilitating technology transfer agreements to strengthen local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
He notes that strategic partnerships with development partners are also helping to expand domestic production capacity and improve access to essential medicines.
Dr Mukhtar adds that strengthening local manufacturing, promoting technology transfer and establishing reliable procurement systems are critical to ensuring the availability of affordable medicines and achieving Nigeria’s universal health coverage targets.
PVAC says it will sustain engagement with relevant stakeholders to advance the pooled procurement mechanism, which is expected to guarantee a more reliable market for locally manufactured medicines, encourage investment and boost confidence in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry.
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Editor: Ada Ononye
