The importation of pharmaceutical products covered by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control’s (NAFDAC) import restriction policies has fallen by 70 per cent, the agency said.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Invest in Nigeria Conference and Expo 4.0, where she said the agency’s ‘5 Plus 5’ policy and Ceiling List initiative had also contributed to growth in local drug manufacturing.
She said the number of drug manufacturing companies in Nigeria had increased from 174 to 190.
In a statement on Sunday by the agency’s resident consult, Sayo Akintola, Adeyeye said the ‘5 Plus 5’ policy, introduced in 2019, restricts the importation of selected medicines that local manufacturers have the capacity to produce.
Under the policy, companies are required to either establish facilities in Nigeria or engage qualified local manufacturers through contract manufacturing.
She said the Ceiling List also expanded the number of products restricted from importation from nine in 2020 to 36.
According to her, the policies have contributed to a 70 per cent decline in the importation of drug products covered by the initiatives, while the ratio of imported to locally manufactured pharmaceutical products improved from 70:30 in 2019 to 50:50 in 2025.
The NAFDAC DG said contract manufacturing partnerships had also increased from 10 companies in 2019 to 87 in 2026, as more firms seek partnerships with Good Manufacturing Practice-compliant local manufacturers.
She added that as of June 2026, NAFDAC had reviewed and approved layouts for 176 pharmaceutical companies, comprising 70 existing and 106 new facilities.
Adeyeye said 37 existing manufacturers were undergoing construction and upgrades, while 28 had completed construction and commenced operations.
She further disclosed that 16 new pharmaceutical manufacturers and six medical device and in-vitro diagnostics manufacturers had emerged, while foreign investment, particularly in the medical devices sector, had increased through joint ventures and technology transfers.
The DG said the overall impact of the ‘5 Plus 5’ and Ceiling List initiatives included 28 newly developed or retrofitted companies and 16 new facilities, representing a 25 per cent increase in local manufacturing.
She said NAFDAC would continue to support manufacturers through regulatory handholding and Corrective Action and Preventive Action (CAPA) clinics.
Adeyeye also urged investors and other stakeholders to embrace the Federal Government’s Executive Order providing zero tariffs, excise duties and VAT on imported machinery, equipment and raw materials for local healthcare manufacturing.
