Juliet Jacob 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government of Nigeria has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with Brazilian pharmaceutical giant EMS and Nigerian firm Oaks Medical Limited to boost local drug production.
The agreement, part of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), was announced Wednesday at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Abuja. Coordinating Minister Professor Muhammad Ali Pate chaired the ceremony.
“This MoU is the practical translation of the high-level agreements reached between our two presidents,” Pate said, referring to talks between President Bola Tinubu and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The partnership aims to reduce Nigeria’s over 70% reliance on imported pharmaceuticals, save billions in foreign exchange, create thousands of skilled jobs, and build a resilient pharmaceutical industry.
EMS Brazil will provide technical expertise, technology transfer, and investment to scale up production of essential medicines, including insulin, antibiotics, anti-malarials, vaccines, and oncology drugs, in collaboration with Oaks Medical Limited.
“This initiative guarantees health security for generations to come and strengthens local production capacity,” Pate emphasised, highlighting the transformative potential for Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
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