In a landmark move toward strengthening health sovereignty, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the European Union on Thursday signed three major agreements at the Nigeria–EU Health Investment Forum.
The accords, part of the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative, aim to accelerate local pharmaceutical manufacturing, expand access to vaccines, and enhance reproductive health services across West Africa.
Speaking at the event, Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Health, Dr. Uju Rochas, described the signing as a “turning point” in Nigeria’s health transformation journey.
“Our message is clear: Nigeria is open for health investment, innovation, and impact,” Dr. Rochas said. “President Bola Tinubu has made it clear that our nation’s health transformation will not rely on aid or dependency, but on government-led ownership, accountability, and innovation — made in Nigeria, for Nigerians, and by Nigerians.”
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, applauded Nigeria’s bold shift from aid dependence to strategic partnerships, reaffirming the EU’s commitment to supporting the country through its Global Gateway programmes — particularly in reproductive, maternal, and child health.
The three agreements signed include:
ELM-N (Enabling Local Manufacturing of Health, Immunisation, and Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria) — to expand Nigeria’s capacity to produce essential medical and nutritional products;
QUALIMEDS (Quality Uplift for Advancing Local Industry in Medicine Standards) — to raise local pharmaceutical production to meet global quality benchmarks; and
Strengthening Reproductive Health and Rights in West Africa — to advance women’s health and reproductive rights across the subregion.
The signing of the ELM-N agreement aligns with the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to revitalise Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector.
Under President Tinubu’s Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), launched in 2023, Nigeria aims to produce 70% of its essential medicines locally by 2030.
In further support of this goal, an Executive Order issued in June 2024 waived tariffs and Value Added Tax on pharmaceutical machinery and raw materials, significantly reducing production costs and paving the way for a more self-reliant health sector.
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