Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines remains a major challenge for the country’s healthcare system, according to the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists (NAIP). The association’s national chairman, Bankole Ezebuilo, disclosed this in a statement issued at the end of the 29th Annual National Conference and Training of NAIP held in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Friday.
Ezebuilo said Nigeria imports more than 70 per cent of its medicines, warning that the situation threatens healthcare stability and economic sustainability, while also exposing the country to drug shortages during global crises.
The conference, themed “Collaboration and Innovation to Build Local Solutions for the Future of Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Industry”, brought together stakeholders from across the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors.
He said Nigeria must urgently reduce its dependence on imports and build stronger local manufacturing capacity, describing the situation as a “critical crossroads” between import reliance and pharmaceutical self-sufficiency.
“A nation that cannot produce its own medicines is a nation negotiating with its health, and negotiation is not where you want to be when lives are at stake”, he said.
Ezebuilo called on the federal government to declare a national emergency in pharmaceutical manufacturing and introduce policies to position Nigeria as a leading production hub in Africa.
He noted that despite ongoing economic challenges and global supply chain disruptions, Nigeria still depends heavily on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients, warning that this reliance weakens both the healthcare system and the economy, while adding that strengthening local production would improve drug availability, create jobs, and help conserve foreign exchange.
He also criticised slow progress in the sector and urged stronger collaboration among government, investors, and academic institutions. Ezebuilo added that NAIP is ready to work with stakeholders to advance pharmaceutical industrialisation in Nigeria.
