Traditional rulers, former top government officials, regulators and industry leaders have jointly called on the Federal Government to fast-track policies that will drive large-scale local pharmaceutical manufacturing in the country.
The call was made at the 2026 Economic Outlook and CEOs Forum of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) in Lagos, where stakeholders warned that the country’s heavy dependence on imported medicines leaves it dangerously exposed to global supply shocks.
Keynote speaker and Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi II, revealed that about 70 per cent of medicines used in Nigeria are imported, with over 80 per cent sourced from a single country, India.
He described the concentration as a national security risk and urged decisive political action to establish and scale up local pharmaceutical plants.
Echoing this concern, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, cautioned that excessive reliance on foreign medical supplies threatens not only public health but also Nigeria’s economic sovereignty and resilience.
Welcoming participants, the Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Pharm. Ameh Eghomwanre, said the forum was designed as a solutions-driven platform to reposition the sector, stressing that manufacturers are ready to invest and create jobs if supported with clear policies and reliable access to foreign exchange.
The forum, themed “Reimagining Nigeria’s Health Security: Local Production, Economic Sovereignty & Strategic Partnership,” was convened to reset the pharmaceutical landscape around ethical leadership, strategic partnerships and large-scale investment.
The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, commended NAIP’s leadership under Pharm. (Sir) Bankole Ezebuilo, noting that while previous administrations laid foundations, the current leadership is positioning the association to drive transformative growth.
Former Minister of Health and elder statesman of the profession, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, challenged pharmacists to project greater influence, saying the profession must assert its full weight to catalyse meaningful change across the health sector.
NAIP National Chairman, Pharm. (Sir) Bankole Ezebuilo, described medicines and vaccines as “no longer just procurement items but strategic assets,” declaring that “the future of Nigeria’s healthcare sector must be defined by innovation, production, partnership, resilience, sovereignty and sustainability.”
He stressed that the sector requires patient capital rather than short-term financing, adding that “what is required is long-tenor financing, blended-finance structures and credit-enhancement instruments that can de-risk investment across the pharmaceutical value chain.”
He called for action, saying the nation can no longer afford inaction. “We are not just a professional body; we are pharmaceutical industry architects”.
“Architects do not admire buildings; they design them to stand. The time for local production is not tomorrow; it is now,” Ezebuilo said, as he announced plans for NAIP’s 2026 Annual National Conference in Kwara State, reinforcing the sector’s resolve to translate commitments into measurable local production outcomes.