Fed Govt prepares local drug firms for WHO certification
The Federal Government has said Nigerian pharmaceutical companies are making measurable progress towards the prequalification of the World Health Organisation (WHO). The development follows targeted efforts to strengthen local drug
The Federal Government has said Nigerian pharmaceutical companies are making measurable progress towards the prequalification of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The development follows targeted efforts to strengthen local drug manufacturing and improve medicine security in the country.
The efforts to meet the WHO’s certification criteria, which is implemented by the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and supported by the World Bank, are designed to strengthen local pharmaceutical capacity.
It aims to position indigenous firms for global medicine procurement while improving national medicine security.
NIPRD’s Director-General, Dr. Obi Adigwe, said the initiative has significantly improved compliance and technical capacity among participating companies.
“Technical understanding among the firms has increased from 33.3 per cent to 86.7 per cent, and 13 out of the 19 critical gaps identified at baseline have been addressed,” he said.
Adigwe, who spoke through Dr. Mboma Iheanyi at an event in Lagos, noted that strengthening local production is critical to national stability.
“Medicine security is not just a health metric; it is the bedrock of national sovereignty. Continued dependence on imported medicines exposes the country to risks in equity, economic stability and national security,” he said.
Adigwe announced that Nigerian manufacturers, who had long been excluded from global procurement due to stringent WHO standards, are currently making steady progress.
“Local manufacturers have moved from uncertainty to a firm commitment to meet WHO prequalification standards,” he said.
Also, NIPRD’s IMPACT Project Lead, Mr. Okefu Okoko, described the development as a turning point for the sector.
“Companies are advancing towards WHO prequalification. Achieving certification for antimalarial medicines would be a landmark breakthrough,” he said.
“It would not only strengthen medicine security in Nigeria but also enable local firms to compete globally for supply contracts,” Okoko added.
Project Lead Consultant, Desola Arowolo, attributed the gains to improved alignment with international standards.
“Many companies were already implementing sound practices but needed to refine and align them with global requirements,” she said.
The consultant noted that the intervention led to the development of Common Technical Document dossiers for antimalarial medicines, a key requirement for WHO prequalification.
But Arowolo said funding has remained a major constraint against the efforts.
“Scaling up production and meeting global standards require substantial investment and sustained support,” she said.
The consultant added that while several companies began the programme, only a few completed the current phase, with expansion dependent on outcomes and stakeholder decisions.
With the phase completed, participating firms are expected to continue independently towards full WHO certification, as the government intensifies efforts to boost local drug production and reduce reliance on imports.
