The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, has called for stronger collaboration between Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturers and academic institutions to drive innovation in drug and vaccine development.
In a statement released on Sunday, Adeyeye described President Bola Tinubu’s recent executive order banning the importation of locally available products as a timely catalyst for the growth of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry. She emphasized that strategic partnerships between universities and the pharmaceutical sector are critical to advancing research and development (R&D), addressing the country’s unique health challenges, and reducing dependency on imported medical products.
Speaking at the 38th Victor Olufemi Marquis Memorial Lecture, hosted by the Faculty of Pharmacy at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Adeyeye delivered a lecture titled “Industry, Regulatory, and Academia: The Future of Pharmaceutical Research and Development in Nigeria is Now.” She highlighted the central role universities play in skill development, knowledge creation, and technology transfer to industry.
“Universities are hubs for innovation, and their expanding role in knowledge and technology development can support the creation of new enterprises,” she said. “Robust academia–industry collaboration is vital to national development, providing a platform for joint planning, execution, and mutual growth.”
Adeyeye added that NAFDAC already collaborates with several universities across Nigeria, offering students experiential learning opportunities in manufacturing and regulatory environments while also supporting academic research.
She stressed that such collaborations fuel economic development by enhancing competitiveness, spurring new product development, creating jobs, and improving quality of life. With expanded industrial capacity, she noted, Nigeria can expect reduced unemployment, increased GDP, and improved living standards.
Pointing to the significant growth of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector over the past seven years, Adeyeye attributed the progress to heightened demand for healthcare solutions and supportive government actions, including the 2024 Executive Order from President Tinubu.
Referencing findings from a recent NAFDAC study, she revealed that many of the top pharmaceutical products currently imported into Nigeria are already being produced locally. This discovery informed the Agency’s introduction of the “Five Plus Five” Regulatory Directive, aimed at encouraging local production by restricting imports of those products.
Adeyeye concluded by affirming NAFDAC’s commitment to fostering pharmaceutical R&D, leveraging Nigeria’s untapped potential to achieve healthcare self-sufficiency.
She emphasized that global health trends increasingly favor local innovation as the foundation for sustainable, responsive health systems.
