The Federal Government, the European Union (EU), and France have signed a strategic partnership agreement aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and strengthening its healthcare systems.
The partnership, signed under the Global Gateway’s Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies (MAV+) Initiative, will be implemented through a project titled “Quality Uplift for Advancing Local Industry in Medicine Standards (Qualimeds Nigeria).”
The Qualimeds Nigeria project seeks to improve Nigeria’s pharmaceutical ecosystem by boosting local production of quality-assured medicines, expanding access to essential health technologies, and promoting innovation through research and capacity building.
Under the initiative, the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) will be reinforced as a regional reference centre for bioequivalence testing, stability studies, and quality control. It will also foster collaboration with similar institutions in Rwanda and Senegal.
With a total investment of €10.2 million—comprising €10 million from the EU and €200,000 in co-financing from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs—the 44-month project (2025–2028) will be implemented in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, NIPRD, and other local stakeholders.
Speaking at the signing ceremony during the Nigeria-EU Health Investment Forum in Abuja, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, described the agreement as a testament to the enduring collaboration between the EU, France, and Nigerian partners.
He emphasised the importance of building resilient and efficient health systems, adding:
“Let’s combine the strength of our EU-Nigeria and EU-ECOWAS partnerships with the dynamism of our companies on both sides to achieve a common goal, making healthcare in Nigeria life-saving, sustainable, diversified, accessible, and affordable for all, while creating jobs and opportunities.”
On his part, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, reaffirmed France’s commitment to the partnership under its Global Health Strategy, rooted in the principles of equity, solidarity, and human dignity.
“I am very proud that France, through the French Development Agency, is contributing to the implementation of the Qualimeds Nigeria project as part of the Team Europe initiative. It reflects our joint resolve to enhance health systems, promote equity, and improve access to essential products and services,” Fonbaustier said.
Also speaking, the Director-General of NIPRD, Dr. Obi Adigwe, highlighted the significance of strategic partnerships in boosting local pharmaceutical capacity and improving healthcare delivery.
“We want to ensure that our people not only gain greater access to healthcare but also benefit from socioeconomic development, job creation, capacity building, technology transfer, and revenue generation,” he said.
Through laboratory upgrades, technology transfer, and workforce training, the project aims to strengthen Nigeria’s self-reliance in medicines and vaccines, enhance regulatory compliance, and promote gender equity in biomanufacturing and research.
Expected outcomes include upgraded NIPRD laboratories that meet international standards, improved Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance, stronger clinical research networks, and deeper integration of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector into global innovation and production systems.
The National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, described the partnership as transformative, stressing that healthcare should serve as a driver of economic growth and industrialisation.
“Today, we are signing new commitments, including those under the MAV+ initiative, to expand vaccine and health product manufacturing. The goal is for every Nigerian, regardless of status or location, to access affordable, quality healthcare,” he said.
The agreement reaffirms the shared commitment of the EU, France, and Nigeria to strengthening health security, boosting local manufacturing, and driving sustainable growth within the country’s health sector.
Through cooperative efforts like MAV+, the partners aim to build a resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive healthcare system in Nigeria and across West Africa.
