NAFDAC Slashes Drug Imports To 60% In Bold Drive For Pharma Independence:

In a groundbreaking announcement, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), revealed a dramatic drop in pharmaceutical drug imports to 60 percent — a historic shift toward Nigerian-made medicines and national pharmaceutical sovereignty.

Speaking at the 2025 Investiture Ceremony and Lecture of Fellows of the Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy (NAPHARM) held at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Adeyeye passionately declared that this sharp decline from 70 percent reflects a fierce commitment to local production and self-reliance.

“We said no more imports if we can produce here. Five years ago, only nine products faced import restrictions. Now, 36 products are protected because we can—because Nigeria is rising,” she stated confidently.

Prof. Adeyeye challenged local manufacturers to ignite innovation from the ground up, noting that current production even includes homegrown active pharmaceutical ingredient plants like Emzor. “Our manufacturers are patriots, creating their own resources. Why must everything be imported when we have the capacity?” she argued.

Highlighting the strides made under her leadership since 2017, the NAFDAC boss celebrated Nigeria’s first WHO pre-qualified medical devices and medicines, a testament to the nation’s untapped potential. “God gave us capacity; we must turn pain into progress,” she asserted.

Recounting the agency’s transformation from a “disillusioned, unfocused” body to a world-class regulator, Adeyeye emphasized the mindset revolution that propelled NAFDAC out of a regulatory abyss into global standards of excellence.

“Nation building begins where you stand. We refused to settle for less and chose to compete with the best in the world,” she concluded, signaling a new era for Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry.