Abuja: The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) says its wide-ranging collaborations are strengthening research, enhancing innovation, and unlocking new opportunities across the pharmaceutical value chain. NIPRD's Director-General, Dr. Obi Adigwe, shared these insights with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, highlighting the institute's engagement in over 100 collaborations with local and international partners over the last six years.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, NIPRD has become a leading collaborative health agency in Nigeria, with active partnerships in countries like Burkina Faso, Egypt, Japan, South Sudan, and South Africa. Dr. Adigwe announced a significant partnership with SPARK Global, an innovation platform founded at Stanford, aimed at accelerating the translation of local research into commercially viable products. This collaboration is set to bring the SPARK Africa conference to Abuja in February 2026, featuring a boot camp for up to 100 African scientists. The event will provide mentorship, access to global funding networks, and pathways to patents and clinical trials, leveraging SPARK's model, which boasts a success rate of more than 50 percent.
Dr. Adigwe emphasized the importance of these collaborations in achieving the objectives of the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), in which NIPRD plays a central role. He highlighted the institute's work in plant-based drug development, drawing parallels with China's success with Artemisia annua and Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). NIPRD has developed approximately 20 products from indigenous Nigerian plants and was a pioneer in taking a plant-based Nigerian formulation through early clinical trials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Director-General stressed the importance of contextual research and innovation for a sustainable healthcare value chain. NIPRD's efforts extend beyond research to include policy advocacy and support for local pharmaceutical manufacturing. A landmark collaboration with AfreximBank has enabled NIPRD to secure funding for an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) training facility, the first of its kind in West Africa. This facility has trained personnel from Nigeria and other countries and acquired advanced manufacturing equipment, reducing Nigeria's reliance on imported APIs.
Dr. Adigwe noted that the initiative has spurred private-sector investment, with a major Nigerian pharmaceutical company establishing a 30-50 million dollar API plant in Ogun State, the first of its scale in Africa. He highlighted NIPRD's catalytic impact in opening doors for further investments and collaborations.
Dr. Adigwe concluded by stating that NIPRD's research aims to improve health outcomes, create jobs, enable technology transfer, and generate national revenue.