President Bola Tinubu has applauded the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for maintaining its World Health Organisation Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status in the regulation of medicines and vaccines.
According to the Special Adviser to the President, Bayo Onanuga on Monday, the endorsement came after a WHO team carried out a re-benchmarking mission between 28 and 30 May 2025, measuring the agency’s performance against globally accepted regulatory standards.
NAFDAC reached Maturity Level 3 in 2022, becoming the first regulatory body in Africa to do so for medicines and vaccines in non-producing countries.
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In line with WHO policy, the designation is subject to regular re-evaluation to ensure standards are upheld.
The most recent confirmation followed a formal review in November 2024, alongside five Institutional Development Plan (IDP) review meetings held from February to April this year to track corrective measures.
In its report, WHO noted that Nigeria’s regulatory authority operates within “a stable, well-functioning, and integrated framework,” crediting the achievement to government investment in strengthening the system.
President Tinubu praised the agency’s leadership and staff for their dedication to public health, describing the milestone as a boost to Nigeria’s reputation in global health security and pandemic readiness.
Reiterating his administration’s healthcare priorities under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the President highlighted ongoing efforts to modernise over 17,000 primary health centres, enhance maternal healthcare and diagnostics in rural areas, train 120,000 frontline medical workers, and significantly expand health insurance coverage within three years.
He also reaffirmed that encouraging local pharmaceutical production remains a key policy objective, pledging sustained collaboration with international partners and investors to grow manufacturing capacity.
The President vowed to back NAFDAC in its quest to achieve WHO Maturity Level 4 — the highest standard for regulatory excellence worldwide.
