Nigeria, EU, France sign €10.2m deal to boost local drug manufacturing

Nigeria has entered into a €10.2 million partnership with the European Union (EU) and France to strengthen its pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and improve access to quality medicines and vaccines.

The agreement, signed under the EU’s Global Gateway Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines, and Health Technologies (MAV+) initiative, will run for 44 months between 2025 and 2028.

It comprises €10 million in EU funding and an additional €200,000 contribution from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Operating under the code “Quality Uplift for Advancing Local Industry in Medicine Standards (Qualimeds Nigeria),” the project aims to expand Nigeria’s local production of quality-assured medicines, enhance access to essential health technologies, and promote research-driven innovation.

The initiative will also strengthen the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) as a regional centre for quality control, bioequivalence, and stability studies, with collaborative ties to Rwanda and Senegal.

During the signing ceremony, held as part of the Nigeria–EU Health Investment Forum in Abuja, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, described the agreement as a reflection of the strong partnership between the EU, France, and Nigeria.

He stressed the need to build resilient and inclusive health systems capable of delivering prosperity for all citizens.

“Let’s combine the strength of our EU–Nigeria and EU–ECOWAS partnerships with the dynamism of our industries on both sides to achieve a common goal — making healthcare in Nigeria sustainable, affordable, and life-saving while creating jobs and opportunities,” Mignot said.

France’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the initiative, noting that France’s support is rooted in its Global Health Strategy, which promotes equity, solidarity, and human dignity.

“I am 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,” Fonbaustier stated.

“This partnership demonstrates our shared values and joint commitment to strengthening health systems, advancing equity, and improving access to essential products and services.”

The Director General of NIPRD, Dr. Obi Adigwe, highlighted the project’s significance for Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry, saying it would enhance access to healthcare while driving socioeconomic development through job creation, capacity building, and technology transfer.

“We aim to ensure that Nigerians have access to quality healthcare while catalysing industrial growth and innovation,” Adigwe said.

Through laboratory modernisation, workforce training, and technology transfer, the Qualimeds Nigeria project is expected to increase Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in medicine and vaccine production, improve regulatory compliance, and promote gender inclusion in biomanufacturing and research.

Key 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 systems.

Also speaking at the event, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), described the partnership as a milestone in Nigeria’s healthcare industrialisation efforts.

He said the collaboration aligns with government plans to make healthcare a major contributor to economic growth, ensuring every Nigerian has access to affordable, quality healthcare.

“Today, we are reaffirming our commitment to expanding vaccine and health product manufacturing through the MAV+ initiative,” Mukhtar said.

“We cannot do this alone, and we appreciate the EU, its member states, and other partners for their unwavering support in optimising Nigeria’s healthcare system.”