BACKGROUND

Plans have now been concluded for the fourth edition of the Nigeria Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Expo (NPME 2017). NPME, which is the biggest International Pharma Manufacturing Exhibition in Central and West Africa is scheduled to be held from August 30^th to the 1^st of September, 2017 at New Haven, Oba Akinjobi Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria.

NPME is the definitive Pharma Event, and is known to attract close to 200 exhibiting companies and nearly 10,000 pharma and related sectors’ trade professionals from across the region. This year, Delegates are expected from across the continent, including Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Chad, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Senegal, Morocco, The Gambia, Ivory Coast, Niger, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Benin, South Africa.

POLICY CONTEXT

This year’s edition of the NPME is expected to surpass all stakeholders’ expectations. This is due to the robust and comprehensive advocacy by PMGMAN, which has resulted in significant advances in the Pharma Manufacturing Policy Landscape, in Nigeria as well as on the Continent. Recently, the Ag President of the Federation, Professor Osinbajo issued an Executive Order on support for Local Content in Public Procurement, directing the mandatory patronage of Locally Manufactured Medicines by all Government MDAs. This policy is expected to accelerate growth and development of the Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Sector. This will in turn assure National Medicines’ Security as well as boost Self Sufficiency in the production of medicines. Other positive outcomes associated with these policies include the stimulation of considerable employment in the sector. The policy will also lead to increased inflow of Foreign Direct Investment as well as facilitate the export of Nigerian medicines to neighbouring countries.

To build on this, the WAPMA President and PMGMAN Chairman, Mr S. Okey Akpa during his presentation to the ECOWAS Health Ministers’ Assembly, urged Members Nations, as well as Development Partners to support the on-going collaborative efforts    to exponentially increase Manufacturers’ capacity on the continent. This, he argued was the most sustainable manner to guarantee access to high quality, affordable medicines within the Region.  Another recent development that demonstrates the significant improvement in Local Pharma Manufacturing is the Public-Private Partnership, signed by the Federal Government with a Local Firm, to produce vaccines in Nigeria. While signing the agreement on behalf of the Government, Professor Isaac Folorunsho Adewole, the Honourable Minister of Health, stated that the need to ensure Medicines’ Security for the Nation was a key factor that underpinned the Partnership.