In a bold and strategic move aimed at transforming pharmaceutical access and healthcare delivery across Nigeria, CHI Pharmaceuticals and Getz Pharma Nigeria Limited have entered into a significant partnership, which includes a dedicated team structure and dual-distribution strategy.
The collaboration was unveiled during a recent high-level engagement involving top executives from both firms. A strategic meeting to formalise the partnership and strengthen ties between the two organisations was held at the corporate headquarters of CHI Pharmaceuticals in Lagos, with participation from senior executives as well as marketing and sales teams.
Speaking at the event, Mr Shriram Iyer, chief operating officer (COO) of CHI Pharma, recalled the turbulence of 2022, a period when many multinational corporations exited Nigeria due to economic instability.
“We were hearing only bad news,” he said. “Multinationals were shutting down or restructuring, and it was demoralising.” Yet CHI Pharma held firm. “Our group leadership (the TGI Group) was clear, no employee would be terminated. We pressed the refresh button and started again.”
Today, CHI Pharma has not only revived its operations but recorded a remarkable 40 percent growth since 2022. The renewed energy led to key partnerships and internal restructuring, setting the stage for the recent engagement with Getz Pharma, he noted.
He continued, “The partnership, which began with exploratory talks in January 2024, matured after a thorough six-month due diligence process. “We commend Getz Pharma for their diligence and commitment,” Iyer noted. “Their decision to expand their distribution network and bring in a second partner without breaking ties with the first is strategic and bold.”
“With a growing team of over 60 staff and nationwide reach, Getz Pharma is investing heavily in Nigeria’s future. The aim is to scale product access and deepen market penetration, especially in underserved areas”.
While speaking, Mr Timothy Olabiyi, sales director for General Trade at CHI Pharma, spoke on the overview of the company’s operational scope. “Our GT team covers about 3,300 key outlets across Nigeria, representing 50 percent of registered pharmacies,” he said. With the Getz partnership, CHI has launched a dedicated sales force to drive market activation, product availability, and demand generation.
“This collaboration is not our first,” Olabiyi added. “We have partnered with over 17 companies, but we ensure our partners don’t overlap or cannibalize one another. This model complements our mission to provide accessible, affordable medicines.”
CHI Pharma’s proprietary brands like Supramult and Co-Mal will continue under a separate operational stream, ensuring that the Getz Pharma arrangement remains focused solely on third-party access and expansion.
For Getz Pharma, the partnership is a calculated expansion of our footprint in Nigeria. Mr Syed Khairat Haider, general manager, Commercial, and Dr Funsho Festus Oloruntoba, general manager, Sales, emphasised that the dual-distribution model with CHI Pharma will help maintain the 24/7 availability of essential medicines.
“Patients suffer when quality medicines are unavailable,” said Mr Haider. “With this arrangement, pharmacies and hospitals now have options. If one distributor is out of stock, the other steps in. This ensures continuity and price stability.”
Dr Oloruntoba noted that the agreement includes clear protocols to prevent overlap or conflict. “We have a contractual framework, and CHI Pharma respects the terms,” he assured.
The partnership also sees Getz Pharma driving market awareness through physician engagement and patient education, while CHI Pharma manages last-mile placement, distribution, and logistics.
According to Haider, Getz Pharma is projecting aggressive sales growth and expansion in Nigeria, with plans to enter the biologics and innovative molecules segment to improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
“This is just the beginning,” he said. “In the first few days of activation, we have already achieved more than our projected sales. The potential is massive.”
As Mr Iyer aptly summed it up, “In an industry still grappling with supply challenges, FX volatility, and access gaps, the CHI Pharma – Getz Pharma alliance is a beacon of resilience, innovation, and forward-thinking. With a shared vision to improve healthcare outcomes, both companies are poised to chart new territories and rewrite the story of pharmaceutical access in Nigeria.”
