As the days are approaching for the biggest international pharmaceutical exhibition in Nigeria- Pharma West Africa Exhibition, the organisers of the global expo, B to B Events have disclosed the rationale for the programme, which is to boost local Nigerian brands and businesses.
The Managing Director, B to B Events, Jamie Hill, in a chat with Pharmanewsonline, at the ongoing 2024 Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), at the Harbour Point, Victoria Island, said the whole concept of the exhibition resolves around developing the Nigerian Pharmaceutical industry towards attaining an effective medicines security system.
He expressed the organisation’s delight to be hosting over 150 exhibitors at the exhibition this year and much more delighted to be having a huge percentage of Nigerian exhibitors, between 25 to 35 per cent to be present at the exhibition.
According to him,” Launching Pharma West Africa will boost the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria. The idea is to bring together representatives from the entire pharmaceutical industry from across the globe to Nigeria under one roof for three days.
“Unlike a number of other exhibitions taking place shortly afterwards, ours is 100 per cent focused on pharmaceuticals. We are not sharing our platform with other industries, such as laboratories or medical devices.
“We are proud to be hosting over 150 exhibitors at the exhibition this year and even prouder to say that a huge percentage of our exhibitors– between 25 to 35 per cent will be Nigerian companies. This is in line with our focus as a business across our entire portfolio to support the major Nigeria brand and to support the Nigerian businesses as much as possible”.
Hill hinted further that Egypt and India are each hosting country pavilions, with other exhibitors travelling from among others, Canada, Portugal, Thailand, Pakistan, France, the Caribbean and the ECOWAS region.
He also explained on their global spread of exhibitors, who represent thousands of different pharmaceutical brands.
“I think it’s important to be able to bring the number of international companies that we have to the shores of Nigeria for this exhibition to support local business in many ways, such as for distributors or retailers being able to find more cost-effective products”, he stated.
Also speaking with Pharmanewsonline at the conference, a former President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Pharm. Ahmed I. Yakasai, who will be chairing the international exhibition, said preparations are on top gear for the conference the conference.
He disclosed how international manufacturers that will be exhibiting at the conference have indicated their interest in exploring contract manufacturing with local manufacturers as a means of boosting the GDP of Nigeria going forward.
He said prominent national and international healthcare professionals will be speaking to the theme of the exhibition “New frontiers in pharma, equitable healthcare and business success”.
