The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced that the 0.5ml Auto Disable Syringe produced by Afrimedical Manufacturing and Supplies Ltd has received prequalification from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye revealed the achievement at a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday, calling it a significant milestone for both Nigeria and the West and Central African region.
Afrimedical, located in Ogun State, is the first indigenous syringe manufacturer in Nigeria and the broader West and Central Africa to receive WHO prequalification for its syringes. Adeyeye emphasized that this achievement followed a rigorous process and substantial investment, coupled with technical support and guidance from NAFDAC.
“This recognition places Afrimedical as the first manufacturer in West Africa to meet WHO’s standards for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP),” said Adeyeye, underscoring the importance of this development for Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and healthcare industry.
She also highlighted NAFDAC’s commitment to embracing global best practices in medical product regulation as part of its drive to become a world-class regulatory body.
The NAFDAC DG further explained that in 2023, only three out of seven indigenous syringe manufacturers in Nigeria were operational, collectively functioning at less than 20% of their total installed capacity of 2.5 billion syringes per year.
Adeyeye also pointed to NAFDAC’s “5+5” policy, introduced in 2019, which restricts the importation of medicines and devices that can be produced locally, encouraging local manufacturing and self-reliance in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
This achievement by Afrimedical represents a landmark moment for local manufacturing and Nigeria’s growing role in the global medical supply chain.
