Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry is facing growing demand, but the sector still struggles with heavy dependence on imports, high production costs, weak supply chains, and the threat of fake drugs.
Across Africa, experts say between 70 per cent and 95 per cent of medicines used on the continent are imported, while between 30 per cent and 60 per cent of pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity remains idle. The figures show a major gap between healthcare demand and local production.
These issues were part of discussions at the third edition of Pharma West Africa 2026, a three-day exhibition and conference held at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos.
The event brought together policymakers, manufacturers, researchers, investors and health professionals to discuss how West Africa can secure medicine supply through stronger local production, better financing and more efficient supply systems.
It was a busy and well-attended gathering, with hundreds of delegates, including representatives from global companies and delegations from the United Kingdom, India, and Russia’s St Petersburg region.
With the theme ‘Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Strengthening for Self-Sufficiency in West Africa’.
Participants focused on reducing dependence on imports and building stronger healthcare systems across the region.
Stakeholders at the conference said donor dependency, fragmented procurement systems, and poor investment flows have slowed the growth of local pharmaceutical manufacturing in many African countries.
Chairman of the planning committee and former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Ahmed Yakasai, said the COVID-19 pandemic exposed serious weaknesses in global supply chains and showed the risks of relying too heavily on foreign systems for essential medicines.
