The Federal Government has announced a strategic target to achieve 70 percent local production of essential medicines across the country by the year 2030. Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, disclosed the target while delivering his address at the 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo in Lagos.
Organised by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), the annual expo brought together key stakeholders, industry leaders, and policymakers to chart a sustainable path for domestic drug manufacturing. Mr Salako stated that relying heavily on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished products exposes the Nigerian healthcare system to severe vulnerabilities, foreign exchange pressures, and volatile pricing.
The latest policy direction forms part of broader federal efforts to secure national health security, expand Universal Health Coverage, and lower the out-of-pocket expenditure burden carried by ordinary citizens. Stakeholders at the Lagos exhibition discussed structural bottlenecks that have historically hampered local drug manufacturing, including inadequate infrastructure, high financing costs, and regulatory delays.
Overcoming Import Dependence in Nigeria’s Health Sector
Nigeria currently imports a significant percentage of its pharmaceutical needs, leaving the domestic market exposed to external shocks such as global supply chain disruptions and currency devaluation. Industry observers note that achieving the 2030 target will require deliberate fiscal interventions, single-digit manufacturing loans, and robust tax incentives for local investors willing to set up active pharmaceutical ingredient plants.
PMG-MAN leadership has consistently maintained that Nigerian pharmaceutical companies possess the technical capacity to meet local demand if supported by predictable government policies and sustained patronage. The federal administration has previously introduced waiver policies and zero-duty regimes on pharmaceutical raw materials, though manufacturers argue that implementation bottlenecks often limit the impact of these measures.
As the countdown to 2030 begins, the Ministry of Health is expected to collaborate closely with regulatory bodies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to streamline approval processes for locally manufactured molecules. Observers and industry players are watching for concrete regulatory frameworks and funding structures that will back the newly declared target in the coming months.
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