Nigeria’s Local Drug Manufacturing Expands as NAFDAC Policies Cut Medicine Imports
Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry is witnessing significant growth in local drug manufacturing as regulatory reforms by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) continue to reduce the country’s dependence on imported medicines.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this in a statement issued after her presentation at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Invest in Nigeria Conference and Expo 4.0 in Lagos. The statement, obtained by Africa Health Report through NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, highlighted the agency’s progress in strengthening domestic pharmaceutical production.
Adeyeye said the number of pharmaceutical manufacturers in Nigeria has increased from 174 to 190, while the ratio of imported to locally manufactured medicines has improved from 70:30 in 2019 to an even 50:50 in 2025.
She attributed the progress to NAFDAC’s 5 Plus 5 Regulatory Directive and the Ceiling List Initiative, which restrict the importation of medicines that can be produced locally.
According to her, the list of restricted products has expanded from nine medicines in 2020 to 36, resulting in a 70 per cent reduction in imports of affected pharmaceutical products.
The NAFDAC chief said the policy has encouraged multinational pharmaceutical companies to establish manufacturing facilities in Nigeria or partner with existing local manufacturers through contract manufacturing arrangements.
She disclosed that the number of companies engaged in contract manufacturing rose sharply from 10 in 2019 to 87 in 2026, describing the development as evidence of growing confidence in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry.
“The rise in contract manufacturing reflects a strategic move toward sustainable and scalable local operations,” Adeyeye said.
She further revealed that 37 existing pharmaceutical companies are upgrading their facilities, while 28 newly upgraded plants are already operational. In addition, 16 new pharmaceutical manufacturing companies and six manufacturers of medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics have commenced operations.
According to Adeyeye, the combined impact of new investments, facility upgrades and expanded production capacity has increased Nigeria’s local pharmaceutical manufacturing output by 25 per cent, while attracting fresh foreign investment, particularly in the medical devices sector.
“The increase in local manufacturing aligns with the Federal Government’s Executive Order aimed at strengthening domestic production. We should embrace it,” she added.
The agency maintained that expanding local pharmaceutical production remains critical to improving medicine security, reducing foreign exchange pressure and strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
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