Pharm. Sir Bankole Aminu Ezebuilo is the national chairman of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP). In this interview with Ranmilowo Ojalumo, he urges the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) to place medicine security at the centre of its 99th Annual National Conference and establish a group to drive the implementation of conference resolutions. He also discusses the challenges facing Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry, the fight against substandard and falsified medicines, and initiatives to strengthen local manufacturing. Excerpts:
What is your general assessment of the current state of the pharmaceutical industry?
Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry has considerable potential, but this has yet to translate into a sufficiently resilient medicine supply system. The country has experienced pharmacists, established manufacturers, research institutions and a large population whose medicine needs should provide a strong basis for investment. Yet access to medicines remains vulnerable to imports, dependence on imported manufacturing inputs and disruptions beyond our borders.
The World Health Organisation’s 2025 Nigeria health systems profile identifies limited domestic production and dependence on imports as important weaknesses. This points to a structural gap rather than providing a real-time assessment of production levels. The central concern is that our capacity to meet essential medicine needs locally remains inadequate.
For an industrial pharmacist, the challenge goes beyond producing a tablet or capsule. A dependable pharmaceutical industry requires validated processes, functional laboratories, trained personnel, reliable utilities, appropriate storage facilities and sufficient working capital. When manufacturers face high financing costs and unpredictable input prices, upgrading facilities, maintaining stocks and offering competitive prices become more difficult. Patients ultimately bear the consequences through reduced affordability and availability.
The government has recognised the need for change through the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain and fiscal measures designed to support domestic production. In March 2025, the Nigeria Customs Service published implementation guidelines covering eligible pharmaceutical manufacturing inputs. These are useful policy measures, but their effectiveness must be assessed by how readily manufacturers can access the benefits and the extent to which they improve medicine supply.
We should progressively strengthen domestic capacity, prioritising essential medicines and products that Nigeria can manufacture competitively while meeting quality standards. Imports will continue to play a role. The objective should be a balanced pharmaceutical supply system that can withstand disruptions and provide Nigerians with dependable access to the medicines they need.
As pharmacists gather in November for another PSN conference, what paramount issue would you want the society to pay attention to?
I would place medicine security at the centre of the conference. By medicine security, I mean the ability to provide safe, effective, quality-assured and affordable medicines consistently, including during economic difficulties, emergencies and international supply disruptions.
This is a professional issue with direct consequences for households. A prescription is of limited value if the medicine is unavailable, unaffordable or of uncertain quality. We should therefore measure our professional contribution by whether patients can complete their treatment safely and reliably.
The PSN can bring together the different parts of the pharmaceutical system. Industrial pharmacists understand manufacturing and product quality, while community and hospital pharmacists encounter challenges relating to medicine availability, affordability and treatment interruptions. Academics and researchers can contribute to product development, evidence generation and professional training. Bringing these perspectives together would make the conference’s recommendations more relevant and practical.
I would like the conference to examine which essential medicines experience supply shortages, what prevents reliable local production, where distribution systems break down and how procurement can support dependable supply. These questions should be addressed using data rather than impressions alone.
Workforce competence must also feature in the discussions. Nigeria needs pharmacists who can work effectively in formulation development, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, manufacturing and supply chain management. We should consider how pharmacy education, practical placements and continuing professional development can be aligned with these needs.
The conference should produce a shared understanding of the challenges and identify a manageable number of priorities that the profession can pursue collectively. Medicine security is broad enough to unite pharmacists across practice areas, but it must be translated into specific actions to deliver meaningful results.
What major issue should the conference discuss and back up with immediate action?
The immediate priority should be to remove the practical barriers to the reliable production and distribution of quality-assured essential medicines. Another broad resolution will have limited value unless someone is responsible for implementing it.
I would recommend that the PSN convene a focused implementation group involving NAIP, pharmaceutical manufacturers, relevant regulators, procurement institutions, researchers and financing partners. This is a proposal for the conference to consider, not an announcement that such a programme has already been established.
Within the first 30 days, the group should agree on a manageable set of priorities and gather evidence from manufacturers and medicine users. Within 60 days, it should identify the main constraints, the institutions responsible for addressing them and the decisions required. Within 90 days, it should present an action plan with designated leads, realistic timelines and a mechanism for reporting progress.
The agenda should cover access to appropriate financing, the implementation of manufacturing incentives, essential infrastructure and predictable demand. Long-term investment in manufacturing facilities and short-term working capital require different financing arrangements. A manufacturer may be able to purchase equipment but still struggle to finance raw materials, testing and distribution while awaiting payment.
Workforce development must form part of this immediate action. NAIP is partnering with UNICEF to train young graduates in pharmaceutical manufacturing, with participants receiving payment during their training. This approach helps bridge the gap between academic preparation and industrial practice while providing financial support as graduates develop their skills. It is a practical example of investing in the people needed to sustain local production.
The conference should consider how to support and expand such opportunities through partnerships with industry. Training should be assessed by the competencies participants acquire and their progression into productive roles. Stronger pharmaceutical factories need personnel who can operate processes correctly, maintain accurate records and uphold quality standards. Investment in equipment and workforce development should therefore proceed together.
Alongside manufacturing finance, and workforce development, we must address access to sustainable markets. Manufacturers need confidence that their quality products will reach dependable buyers. NAIP’s collaboration with the African Resource Centre for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC-ESM) and state Drug Management Agencies on pooled procurement is also relevant to this discussion.
Consolidating purchasing needs can generate greater, more predictable demand and strengthen buyers’ negotiating positions. For qualified local manufacturers, greater visibility of expected demand can support production planning, investment decisions and more efficient use of capacity. The conference should examine how Nigerian manufacturers can participate effectively and what quality, supply and contracting requirements they must meet.
Pooled procurement must be supported by transparent supplier selection, rigorous quality assurance, realistic delivery schedules and timely payments. Consolidating orders alone will not solve supply problems if manufacturers cannot finance production or purchasing institutions delay settlement. Our objective should be a procurement system that promotes reliable supply and better value for patients while giving capable manufacturers a fair opportunity to compete.
Progress should be measured against a few meaningful indicators, including supply lead times, stock availability, quality compliance and payment performance. The PSN should report what has changed, what remains unresolved and what requires government intervention. This would ensure that conference resolutions remain relevant long after the closing ceremony.
What is your key message to the leadership of the PSN and the Nigerian government?
To the PSN leadership, my message is that our professional credibility should underpin sustained, evidence-based advocacy. We need a clear agenda that connects the concerns of pharmacists with patients’ needs and the country’s development priorities.
The PSN should coordinate its technical groups around common goals while drawing on their respective areas of expertise. It should maintain dialogue with the government throughout the year, document the evidence supporting its recommendations and report progress on major commitments. This would make our advocacy easier to evaluate and harder to dismiss.
To the government, my message is that pharmaceutical investment requires policy continuity and effective implementation. Manufacturers make decisions that span several years. They need confidence that approved incentives will be accessible, administrative requirements will be clear and policy changes will be communicated predictably.
The government’s published manufacturing incentives provide a useful foundation. The next step is to ensure that eligible companies can access them without avoidable delays and that the benefits translate into increased production and improved patient access. Implementation should be monitored transparently, while any extension or modification of time-limited measures should be communicated early enough for businesses to plan.
Financing arrangements must also reflect the needs of the sector. Manufacturing facilities, quality systems and research cannot always be funded on terms designed for rapid commercial turnover. The government and financial institutions should develop arrangements that recognise investment lead times while maintaining sound commercial discipline.
Public support must come with accountability. Beneficiary companies should demonstrate compliance with quality standards, responsible use of support and credible improvements in medicine supply. Industry, in turn, must provide transparent evidence of what it can deliver.
Ultimately, the test is straightforward: are Nigerians obtaining quality medicines more reliably and at prices they can afford? That question should guide the relationship between the government, the pharmaceutical profession and industry.
What is your take on fake medicines in Nigeria, and what is NAIP doing about the problem?
Substandard and falsified medicines threaten lives and undermine public confidence in the healthcare system. They also disadvantage legitimate businesses that invest in proper manufacturing, testing and regulatory compliance. However, I would avoid claiming that their prevalence is increasing without comparable surveillance data. An increase in detections may reflect more wrongdoing, improved surveillance or a combination of both.
We need to distinguish between the different categories of poor-quality medicines. Falsified medicines deliberately misrepresent their identity, composition or source. Substandard medicines are authorised products that fail to meet the required quality standards or specifications. Quality failures may result from manufacturing deficiencies or deterioration during storage and transportation. Although these categories require different investigations, both demand prompt action to protect patients.
Public alerts issued by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) demonstrate the need for vigilance and purchasing through authorised suppliers. The appearance of a product or the presence of a printed registration number should not, on its own, be regarded as conclusive proof of authenticity.
NAIP represents the pharmaceutical industry, including manufacturers, importers, Nigerian companies representing overseas firms and pharmacists involved in consultancy. Our responsibility is to promote the professional competence and ethical conduct required to protect product quality throughout the medicine lifecycle. This includes sound formulation, validated manufacturing processes, accurate documentation, appropriate testing, controlled storage and effective responses to complaints or suspected defects.
The capacity-building partnerships we are pursuing provide a platform for strengthening these capabilities. Quality management systems, good manufacturing practice and professional accountability are essential priorities. We must encourage our members to report suspected falsified products, cooperate with investigations and support prompt recalls where necessary.
We must also be clear about institutional responsibilities. NAIP is a professional association and does not replace NAFDAC or other statutory bodies in enforcement. Our contribution is to strengthen professional practice, support informed policymaking and encourage cooperation with regulators. I would not claim that NAIP has reduced the prevalence of falsified medicines without evidence to substantiate such a claim.
How can Nigeria, as a nation, solve the problem?
Nigeria needs a system that makes unsafe medicines harder to introduce into the market, easier to detect and more costly to trade in. Enforcement is essential, but it must be supported by reliable supplies, accountable distribution systems and informed purchasing.
First, medicines should move through authorised and traceable channels. Suppliers must be identifiable, transactions documented and storage conditions appropriate. When a defective batch is discovered, there should be sufficient information to establish where it has been distributed and retrieve it promptly.
Second, pharmaceutical traceability should be implemented practically and consistently. NAFDAC has published the Pharmaceutical Products Traceability Regulations, 2024. Traceability can support authentication, investigations and targeted recalls, but it depends on reliable data and participation across the supply chain. A code on a medicine pack cannot replace laboratory testing, inspection or sound procurement practices.
Third, regulatory agencies need adequate resources for risk-based inspections, laboratory analysis, market surveillance and timely public communication. NAFDAC, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, the Nigeria Customs Service and relevant security agencies should cooperate within their respective mandates. Sharing intelligence can help identify repeat offenders and the distribution routes used to circulate unsafe medicines.
Fourth, deliberate falsification requires effective investigation and prosecution. Enforcement should target those financing and organising the trade while safeguarding the integrity of evidence and due process. Manufacturers must also investigate genuine quality failures and take corrective action rather than dismissing every complaint as counterfeiting.
Fifth, we must address the conditions that expose patients to unsafe sources of medicines. Affordable and dependable supplies of quality-assured products are part of the solution. Public education should encourage people to purchase medicines from licensed outlets and explain how to report concerns, while recognising that patients cannot reliably determine pharmaceutical quality by appearance alone.
Success should be measured through surveillance evidence, faster detection and recalls, improved regulatory compliance and more dependable legitimate supplies. The number of raids alone cannot establish whether patients are becoming safer.
You have embarked on activities since becoming NAIP chairman. Kindly take us through your initiatives and outcomes.
Since assuming office in July 2025, my focus has been on strengthening NAIP’s contribution through industry dialogue, professional development and partnerships capable of delivering practical benefits. These remain ongoing responsibilities, and I believe it is important to distinguish between activities undertaken and outcomes that still require measurement.
Our 2026 Economic Outlook and CEOs Forum in Lagos centred on the theme Reimagining Nigeria’s Health Security. It provided an opportunity to bring industry concerns into a broader discussion on investment, policy and dependable medicine supply. Engagement with industry leaders and regulatory stakeholders is valuable because many of the constraints facing pharmaceutical companies require decisions beyond the control of individual businesses.
Our training conference in Ilorin, themed Collaboration and Innovation, combined professional engagement with community service. The outreach included a health walk, free medical services at the Emir’s Palace, the opening of a health centre and medicine donations valued at approximately N5 million. These activities connected professional discussions with practical service to the community.
During my first year as national chairman, we have focused on strengthening NAIP’s support for members through strategic partnerships, practical capacity-building initiatives and direct engagement with pharmaceutical companies.
We have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the African Resource Centre for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC-ESM) to provide supply chain management training aimed at strengthening the skills required to manage pharmaceutical supply chains effectively.
Our MoU with the Indian High Commission focuses on addressing the technical and equipment-related challenges facing NAIP members. The partnership is intended to connect companies with relevant expertise and support.
What does NAIP anticipate in the near future for the advancement of industrial pharmacy in Nigeria?
Our focus is on strengthening technical competence, building practical partnerships and creating better opportunities for industrial pharmacists at different stages of their careers.
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