LAGOS — Nigeria’s health and industry leadership will converge in Lagos for the 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo, scheduled for September 28–29 at Harbour Point, Victoria Island. Coordinating Minister of Health Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole are expected to headline the two-day event, alongside Ministers of State Senator John Owan Enoh and Dr. Iziaq Salako, NAFDAC DG Prof. Moji Adeyeye, PCN Registrar Pharm. Ibrahim Ahmed, and the DG of the African Medicines Agency. Organised by PMG-MAN with GPE Expo and held with the Nigeria Lab Expo, the forum themed _“Regional Manufacturing: Advancing Africa’s Pharma & Lifescience Sovereignty through Localization”_ aims to reduce import dependence and position Nigeria as Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturing base.
PMG-MAN says the expo will host 200+ exhibitors and nearly 10,000 stakeholders from across five continents, including investors, regulators, technology and equipment firms. Chairman Pharm. Patrick Ajah stated the target is 70% local production. CEO Pharm. Frank Muonemeh noted that NAFDAC data shows finished drug imports dropped from 4.03 billion to 1.13 billion units in 2025, moving the local-to-import ratio to about 50:50. He linked the progress to the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain and NAFDAC’s attainment of WHO Maturity Level 3, which has allowed some Nigerian companies to get WHO prequalification and do contract manufacturing for global brands.
However, manufacturers still grapple with high power costs, limited financing, regulatory bottlenecks, skills drain from “Japa,” and inconsistent procurement. Muonemeh said energy alone gulps over 40% of company income, far above the sub-10% recorded in China and India, and called for special industrial tariffs. Drugfield’s Pharm. Olusola Akande urged expanded tax breaks for APIs and excipients, while PMG-MAN asked President Tinubu to extend the Presidential Executive Order from 2 to 5 years for policy certainty. Organisers stressed NPME 2026 will focus on machinery, tech transfer and partnerships that boost domestic production under AfCFTA and the African Medicines Agency, not on marketing imported finished drugs.
