Nigeria currently imports nearly all its medical devices, vaccines, and a significant portion of its essential medicines—a reality that experts say is unsustainable for a country of over 250 million people. This stark revelation was made by Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, during the SPAN Innovation 2025 Conference held in Lagos.
“We import 70 per cent of our essential medicines, 99 per cent of medical devices, and nearly 100 per cent of vaccines. This is not sustainable,” Mukhtar said, addressing scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders gathered under the theme “Science, Laboratory and Sustainable National Development.”
The Presidential Initiative, launched in 2023, aims to reverse this dependency by increasing local production of essential healthcare products to 70 per cent by 2030. The plan includes building quality infrastructure to reduce outbound medical tourism and expanding Nigeria’s pharmaceutical and laboratory science workforce.
Mukhtar urged Nigerian innovators to look beyond domestic needs and target the broader African market. “Nigeria is 250 million people. West Africa is 460 million. Africa is 1.4 billion. This is a huge market,” he said, referencing the African Continental Free Trade Area and the African Medicines Agency as platforms for regional expansion.
He described science as “a necessity” and laboratories as the starting point for national development across healthcare, agriculture, engineering, and environmental protection.
In support of this vision, President Bola Tinubu signed an Executive Order in June 2024 removing tariffs, excise duties, and VAT on select pharmaceutical inputs, machinery, and equipment. The goal is to lower production costs, enhance competitiveness, and improve access to locally manufactured healthcare products.
Dr (Mrs) Kate Isa, President of the Scientific Products Association of Nigeria (SPAN), emphasised the need for indigenous scientific solutions tailored to African realities. She criticised the limitations of Western-developed medicines, noting that they often fail to consider the genetic diversity of black Africans.
“Indeed, the world is moving rapidly towards precision science and personalised medicines,” Isa said. “Faced with evidence clearly showing that the genes of black Africans are not significantly represented in the gene pool upon which much of the research for these medicines is based… we really have no option but to wake up from our long slumber.”
She expressed confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to catch up, citing the resilience and intelligence of its people, and the availability of modern scientific tools and artificial intelligence.
Chief Kayode Bello, representing the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, showcased the state’s transition to digital environmental monitoring. “We can now measure noise pollution and air quality remotely, without deploying field officers,” he said, adding that the agency’s lab is “second to none in Africa.”
Opeyemi Eniola, Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Basic and Secondary Education, highlighted the state’s investment in youth-led research. “Students from public schools are conducting meaningful research. Some have even developed devices that earned them international travel opportunities,” he said.
Public Sentiment: Can Nigeria Produce What It Consumes?
Fairview Africa spoke with residents in Abuja to gauge public opinion on the government’s plan to localise healthcare production.
Hon Giwa Tanko expressed optimism: “Nigeria can move from consumption to production because we are endowed with natural resources. Nigeria is blessed with fertile land, so we have no reason to remain a consuming country.”
Godwin, however, was more sceptical. “For our nation to be totally independent, I don’t think we can do things without the help of other nations. We are a consuming nation. We don’t have what it takes to be a producing country—no refinery, no industry. So we cannot, for the next four years, be a producing nation.”
The SPAN Innovation 2025 Conference concluded with a commitment to formalise partnerships between SPAN and the Presidential Initiative. Stakeholders say the next steps include scaling up local manufacturing, investing in research infrastructure, and building a skilled workforce capable of driving Nigeria’s healthcare transformation.
Whether Nigeria can meet its 2030 target remains to be seen, but the urgency is clear: the country must shift from dependency to self-reliance if it hopes to secure its healthcare future.
