PVAC building ecosystem that allows local manufacturers thrive – national coordinator

…As PBR Life Sciences hosts Pharmaceutical’s sustainable growth summit

Abdu Mukhtar, the national coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), said the steering committee is working to build an ecosystem for local manufacturers in the health sector to thrive.

According to him, local manufacturers now have a conducive environment to produce pharmaceutical and life sciences products on the back of the executive order signed by President Bola Tinubu to provide zero import duty and zero VAT for importation of equipment and raw materials needed for local production in the health sector.

“The first is to increase the share of locally produced healthcare products, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and health commodities. As you know, in Nigeria, as in many other African countries, we import almost 80 percent of the essential medicines that we use,” Mukhtar said, during the 2025 Nigeria Pharmaceutical Industry Growth and Investment summit organised by PBR Life Sciences in Lagos.

According to Mukhtar, Nigeria imports almost 100 percent of the vaccines that are used in the country, while about 99 percent of medical devices, including test kits for various diseases in the country are also imported.

“This is no longer attainable. We are a country of 230 million people, and Nigeria is the only country in the world that has at least 100 million people but does not produce a majority, 50 percent, of essential healthcare commodities, supplies, and medicines. So the key mandate for PVAC is actually to help address this problem,” he said.

Ayodeji Alaran, CEO, PBR Life Sciences, emphasised the critical challenges facing Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry. He noted that the sector stands at a pivotal moment, raising concerns about the country’s continued reliance on imported medicines.

He highlighted that Nigeria’s rapidly growing population, projected to exceed 377 million by 2050, and the pharmaceutical market’s anticipated valuation of $1.01 billion by 2028 present a compelling case for bold investment in local production. “Today, 70 percent of medicines consumed in the country are imported, leaving our healthcare system vulnerable to currency fluctuations, supply chain disruptions, and escalating costs.”

Alaran disclosed that PBR Life Sciences integrates advanced AI technology with deep emerging market expertise to transform healthcare decision-making. He said that the firm operates as the intelligent data partner for life science leaders operating in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, and provides multi-country, multi-variate solutions tailored to the region’s unique healthcare challenges.

While acknowledging that government initiatives like the National Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan offer a strong policy framework, he stressed that the private sector must take the lead in accelerating progress through innovation, strategic partnerships, and capital mobilisation.

“We can no longer afford to rely on fragile global supply chains for critical medicines. Instead, we must build resilient, homegrown manufacturing capacity that secures access, reduces costs, and unlocks economic growth. The question is not whether we can afford to invest, it’s whether we can afford not to. The future of Nigerian healthcare will be defined by the decisions we make today. Let’s choose wisely,” Alaran said.

Chimezie Anyakora, CEO, Bloom Public Health, urged the stakeholders to leverage collaboration to scale and build technical know-how. “We need to think big,” he said in a virtual keynote address.

Highlights of the summit were strategic discussions around innovation in pharmaceutical manufacturing, regulatory modernisation, market expansion, and capital mobilisation to drive sustainable, sector-wide growth.