Pharma Experts Urge Govt To End 70% Drug Import Dependence With Bold Reforms & Local Manufacturing Push

Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported medicines is facing renewed criticism from pharmaceutical leaders who say urgent action is needed to protect the country’s healthcare sovereignty and industrial future.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the leaders noted that over 70% of drugs consumed in Nigeria are imported, leaving the sector vulnerable.

Speaking at the 29th Annual National Conference of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP), U.S.-based pharmaceutical scientist, Dr. Nonye Onyewuenyi and former PSN President, Mazi Sam I. Ohuabunwa, presented a blueprint to reduce this dependence and strengthen local production.

The experts warned that without immediate and deliberate policy action, Nigeria risks worsening medicine insecurity, rising healthcare vulnerability, and continued industrial stagnation.

“Local manufacturers face severe challenges including foreign exchange volatility, rising production costs, and expensive Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). These pressures continue to weaken domestic manufacturing capacity.”

Dr. Onyewuenyi argued that Nigeria has the natural resources, talent, and industrial potential to be self-sufficient in medicine production. She said poor execution and weak policy implementation are the main obstacles holding the country back.

“It is unacceptable for a nation of over 200 million people with more than 200 registered pharmaceutical firms to still import over 70 percent of its drugs,” she stated. She called for political will and targeted regulatory frameworks to drive a domestic pharmaceutical revolution.

She urged the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu to move beyond announcements and fund the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and the Renewed Hope Agenda. Healthcare sovereignty, she said, cannot be achieved through rhetoric alone.

Ohuabunwa, Managing Consultant at Starteam Consult and former CEO of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals, told pharmaceutical leaders that survival now depends on replacing outdated bureaucratic culture with disciplined, data-driven leadership.

He stressed that performance management must be a daily commitment, not a yearly HR form. He advocated weekly reviews, structured coaching, and real-time monitoring to catch problems early and ensure quality medicines reach patients.

On the technical side, Dr. Onyewuenyi raised concerns that many Nigerian firms lack the infrastructure, research investment, and scientific systems needed to meet international standards. She called for gap assessments in human capital, cGMP structures, and industrial infrastructure.

She proposed integrating AI, green chemistry, indigenous herbal medicine research, and computational analysis into Nigeria’s industrial roadmap. She also urged stronger collaboration between manufacturers, universities, NAFDAC, and NIPRD to build credible, data-driven lab ecosystems.

Both experts agreed that pharmaceutical manufacturing leaves no room for data falsification or compromise. NAIP National Chairman, Pharm. Bankole Ezebuilo, commended the proposals and pledged to pursue their implementation. The experts concluded that with disciplined execution, strategic investment, and political commitment, Nigeria can become Africa’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in future.