A special half-day Future of Health Conference session
Convened by Nigeria Health Watch and the World Bank Group
The case for local production
Nigeria manufactures finished medicines, but virtually all of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used to make them are imported.
Dependence on imported pharmaceutical ingredients exposes manufacturers and the health system to factors beyond Nigeria's control, including foreign-exchange pressures, price volatility and global supply disruptions. These pressures can ultimately affect the availability and affordability of essential medicines.
Factors beyond Nigeria’s control
Definition
An API is the ingredient in a medicine responsible for its intended therapeutic effect. While APIs may be only one part of a finished medicine, where and how they are produced can have implications for the security of the medicines supply chain.
So, what would it take for Nigeria to produce some of these critical ingredients locally?
Policy to production
Nigeria has introduced measures to encourage local pharmaceutical production, including incentives covering APIs, pharmaceutical inputs, machinery and equipment. The challenge now is turning policy ambition into sustainable production.
In line with this year's Future of Health Conference theme, Nigeria Health Watch and the World Bank Group are convening this special half-day session to bring together key stakeholders and explore a practical path towards domestic API production.
Which one or two priority APIs could Nigeria realistically begin with?
What is preventing their production locally?
Who needs to do what next?
An enabling ecosystem
Domestic API production requires an enabling ecosystem. The discussion will explore five critical areas:
Infrastructure
Regulation and quality
Technology and skills
Finance and investment
Reliable demand
Across the ecosystem
Moving API production forward requires actors from across the ecosystem, including:
Friday, 30 October 2026 · 9:00am–1:00pm
Interested in participating? Register for the Future of Health Conference and indicate your interest in the Day 2 API workshop during registration.
When you register for a physical pass, the registration form asks whether you would like to attend this session. Answer Yes to indicate your interest.
Please note: In-person participation is limited and subject to confirmation. Virtual participation will also be available.
Convened by Nigeria Health Watch and the World Bank Group
