The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, NIPRD, says its extensive collaborations are bolstering research, fostering innovation, and creating new opportunities across the pharmaceutical value chain.
NIPRD’s Director-General, Dr Obi Adigwe said on Sunday in Abuja that the institute had engaged in over 100 partnerships with local and international organisations over the past six years.
“From training researchers from Burkina Faso in our laboratories to forging active partnerships with institutions in Egypt, Japan, South Sudan, and South Africa, NIPRD has become one of Nigeria’s most collaborative health agencies,” he said.
He revealed that NIPRD recently formed a significant partnership with SPARK Global, a Stanford-founded innovation platform, to accelerate the translation of local research into commercially viable products.
“This collaboration will bring the SPARK Africa conference to Abuja in February 2026. It will feature a boot camp for up to 100 African scientists, offering mentorship, access to global funding networks, and pathways to patents and clinical trials,” Adigwe stated.
He noted that SPARK’s model has a success rate exceeding 50 percent, with participating scientists either launching successful start-ups or advancing to clinical trials within two years.
Adigwe highlighted that such strategic collaborations are central to achieving the objectives of the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), in which NIPRD is a key implementing partner.
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He emphasised that the institute’s work in plant-based drug development aligns with global best practices, citing China’s success with Artemisia annua, which led to the widespread adoption of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs).
“We have developed about 20 products from Nigerian indigenous plants. During COVID-19, we were the first globally to take a plant-based Nigerian formulation through the early stages of clinical trials,” he added.
Adigwe stressed that a sustainable healthcare value chain must be rooted in contextual research and innovation.
He explained that NIPRD’s efforts extend beyond research to include policy advocacy and support for local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
He highlighted a landmark collaboration with AfreximBank, through which NIPRD secured funding to establish West Africa’s first Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) training facility.
“Through this facility, we have trained personnel from Nigeria and other countries and procured advanced manufacturing equipment. This bold step positions Nigeria to significantly reduce its reliance on imported APIs,” he said.
Adigwe further noted that the initiative has spurred private-sector investment, with a major Nigerian pharmaceutical company now establishing a $30–50 million API plant in Ogun State, the first of its kind in Africa.
“We opened the door, and now others are following suit. That’s how impactful and catalytic our work has become,” he said.
He added that NIPRD’s research aims not only to improve health outcomes but also to create jobs, facilitate technology transfer, and generate national revenue.