FG, EU, Sign Agreements to Boost Local Manufacturing, Reproductive Health in West Africa

The Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has signed three major agreements aimed at advancing local pharmaceutical production, attracting investments in the health sector, and improving reproductive health outcomes across West Africa.

The agreements, Enabling Local Manufacturing of Health, Immunisation and Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria (ELM-N), Quality Uplift for Advancing Local Industry in Medicine Standards (Qualimeds Nigeria), and Strengthening Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in West Africa, were formaliSed on Thursday during the Nigeria-EU Health Investment Forum in Abuja.

The initiatives are part of the EU’s Global Gateway Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines, and Health Technologies (MAV+) Programme, a global effort designed to enhance regional health resilience and reduce dependency on imported medical products.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Vice-President Kashim Shettima said the agreements reaffirm the government’s commitment to building a “sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-driven health economy.”

Represented by Uju Rochas, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Health, Shettima said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order promoting local production of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

“Through the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and complementary frameworks such as the sector-wide approach (SWAp), this administration has taken concrete steps to strengthen health governance, stimulate investment, and promote local manufacturing,” he said.

“Our message is clear: Nigeria is open for health investment, innovation, and impact. The President has declared that Nigeria’s health transformation will not be driven by aid and dependency alone, but by ownership, accountability, and innovation made in Nigeria, for Nigerians, and by Nigerians.”

Shettima also commended the EU, PVAC, and the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) for their collaboration, describing the partnership as “a new chapter defined by shared prosperity, local innovation, and global collaboration.”

Gautier Mignot, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, highlighted the EU’s ongoing support for Nigeria’s health sector, emphasizing that the new agreements reflect Team Europe’s shared commitment to strategic health investments.

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“Working alongside all our partners, including Nigerian authorities, the United Nations, and the private sector, we must build robust, resilient, and efficient health systems to ensure prosperity for all,” Mignot said.

He noted that the EU continues to support Nigeria through its Global Gateway initiatives, particularly in reproductive, maternal, and child health, with an ongoing €45 million project in Nigeria and nearly €25 million across West Africa.

“We continue to support Nigeria through our Global Gateway initiatives, particularly reproductive, maternal, and child health, where we have an ongoing €45 million project in Nigeria and nearly €25 million across West Africa,” he said, adding that the EU aims to transition from aid to “peer-to-peer collaboration” through sustainable investment partnerships.

Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, said the agreements were timely, coming as Nigeria continues reforms to strengthen healthcare delivery and attract investment.

“The absorptive capacity of the Nigerian economy is enormous. We believe that both the EU and Nigeria can win together as we build mutual prosperity,” he said.

Also speaking, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by Olubunmi Aribeana, Director of Food and Drug Services at the ministry, underscored the government’s commitment to regional health security through domestic manufacturing.

“Local production of health commodities is not merely an economic choice; it is a strategic health security priority,” Pate said.

“By scaling up domestic manufacturing of medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, and other health technologies, we can strengthen universal health coverage and regional self-reliance.”