Abuja: Health sector experts have called for the harmonisation of pharmaceutical activities in Nigeria to eliminate duplication, enhance efficiency, and improve access to quality medicines and health products. The call was made during a high-level stakeholders' engagement focused on aligning efforts under the Improving Access to Medicines through Policy and Technical Support (IMPACT) project.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr Tayo Hamzat, Supply Chain Management Officer at the World Health Organisation (WHO), emphasized the need for this engagement, highlighting the number of ongoing but uncoordinated interventions in the sector. He explained that harmonisation could lead to faster access to health products, lower costs, improved efficiency, and better regulatory oversight, all of which require collaboration and a focus on strengthening national systems. Despite describing Nigeria's pharmaceutical system as "robust and huge," Dr Hamzat pointed out that it is hindered by weak coordination and fragmented management structures.
Dr Francis Ohanyido, Director-General of the West Africa Institute of Public Health, noted that such collaboration is "common sense" given the limited development financing and the need to optimise resources. He suggested that market shaping is a critical tool and explained that harmonisation could help identify gaps that need to be filled, especially in preparation for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Dr Anthony Ayeke, Programme Manager for Health and Nutrition at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, reaffirmed the EU's commitment to supporting a resilient, locally driven pharmaceutical sector. He stated that harmonisation could accelerate local production, reduce import dependency, and improve healthcare system resilience. Dr Ayeke also recommended regulatory streamlining, value chain capacity building, innovation, and public-private partnerships.
Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of the Pharmaceutical Value Chain Transformation Committee (PVAC), commended ongoing efforts under the IMPACT project. Represented by Dr Muhammad Balarabe, Technical Associate at PVAC, he emphasized the committee's focus on catalysing local production and attracting sustainable investment. He urged stakeholders to use this platform to strengthen partnerships and align interventions with the vision of affordable, high-quality healthcare for all Nigerians.
Dr Obi Adigwe, Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), highlighted that fragmented interventions and redundant regulations have long stunted growth in the sector. Represented by Prof. Philip Builders, Professor of Pharmaceutics at NIPRD, he stressed that equitable access to quality medicine is the foundation of universal healthcare, and the lack of access is not just a health issue, but also about equity, national security, and economic survival. Dr Adigwe urged stakeholders to develop practical short, medium, and long-term strategies to make Nigeria's pharmaceutical sector self-reliant, globally competitive, and able to meet national healthcare demands.
The meeting brought together key government agencies, development partners, and private sector actors, each reaffirming a shared commitment to a unified, efficient pharmaceutical ecosystem in Nigeria.