Prominent traditional rulers, health icons, and industrial leaders have called on the Federal Government to support Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry, aiming to achieve 70% local drug production by 2030.
At the 2026 NAIP Economic Outlook and CEOs Forum, stakeholders emphasized the need for clear policies, foreign exchange access, and investment to drive growth. The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, warned that excessive dependence on imports risks national health and economic sovereignty.
The Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi II, highlighted that 70% of Nigeria’s drugs are imported, mostly from India, and urged urgent action to establish local plants. Former Minister of Health, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, stressed that pharmacists must project their profession’s power to drive change.
Leaders pledged commitment to the cause, with National Chairman of NAIP, Pharm. Bankole Ezebuilo, emphasizing that medicines are strategic assets, not just procurement items. The event united key stakeholders, including NAFDAC, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, and industry CEOs, to reimagine Nigeria’s health security through local production and partnerships.
