The Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has called on Nigerian universities and pharmaceutical companies to work together to create new medicines and vaccines.
Speaking at the 38th Prof. Victor Olufemi Marquis Memorial Lecture at Obafemi Awolowo University, she said President Bola Tinubu’s ban on importing easily available products would help grow local drug production.
Adeyeye stressed that strong ties between universities and industry are key to solving Nigeria’s health needs and cutting reliance on imported drugs.
She said universities can help transfer knowledge, build skills, and support manufacturing through research.
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NAFDAC, she added, already works with many universities and helps students gain real-world experience.
Prof. Adeyeye also highlighted the progress in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry, partly due to the “Five Plus Five” Regulatory Directive, which encourages local drug production by limiting certain imports. She said 30% of new drug factories owe their growth to this policy.
She urged more focus on local vaccine production, clinical trials, and drug studies. Collaboration, she said, will create jobs, improve healthcare, and reduce the disease burden.
“Our products are now of better quality than what they used to be because of the regulatory system strengthening,” she said. ” The time to build a robust R&D system for a healthier Nigeria is now.”
