Mirian Gom 
LAGOS, Nigeria – Local drug manufacturing in Nigeria remains the country’s strongest defence against counterfeit medicines because domestic pharmaceutical companies maintain extensive nationwide networks capable of detecting fake products quickly, the Managing Director of May & Baker Nigeria Plc., Patrick Ajah, says.
Ajah makes the remarks while receiving the 2026 Excellence in Leadership Award from the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF) at the company’s Lagos office, arguing that local manufacturers enjoy an advantage over foreign firms through their long-standing relationships with pharmacies and distributors across Nigeria.
According to the pharmacist, May & Baker’s nationwide sales force enables the company to identify and respond rapidly whenever counterfeit medicines enter the supply chain.
“As local manufacturers, I think the benefit we have is that companies like us have our people across the country. We have our salespeople across the country. If somebody fakes our product, most of the pharmacies where the products are going to get into, they know our people. Most of the time, when there’s a challenge, they are the ones to call us and say, ‘Ah, we notice this.'”
Ajah says pharmacies and wholesalers often serve as the first line of defence because they are familiar with genuine product packaging and company representatives.
He notes that multinational pharmaceutical companies without a strong local presence face greater difficulty tracing counterfeit products, particularly as several global drug makers continue to reduce their operations or exit the Nigerian market.
“But if the company is outside the country and they take their product, it’s difficult for them to know, especially now that many multinationals are not in the country.”
Ajah commends the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for its efforts to combat fake medicines but says Nigeria’s large and complex pharmaceutical market presents significant enforcement challenges.
“Also, the effort of NAFDAC has helped, but Nigeria is too big, so sometimes it’s difficult to fight all of those.”
Beyond counterfeit medicines, Ajah highlights the impact of foreign exchange volatility on pharmaceutical manufacturers that depend on imported raw materials.
He says the withdrawal of earlier Central Bank of Nigeria intervention schemes has exposed manufacturers to market-driven exchange rate fluctuations and rising production costs.
Despite the economic headwinds, Ajah expresses optimism about May & Baker’s growth trajectory.
He reveals that the company has quadrupled its revenue over the past five years and is targeting another major expansion.
“We recently concluded our strategy session, although I cannot disclose the details yet because we are still awaiting feedback.”
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Hope Ajayi 