Former Minister of Aviation and Chancellor of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, Osita Chidoka, has challenged Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturers to abandon what he described as an “alibi culture” and embrace global standards to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system and compete internationally.
Speaking at the 29th National Conference of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) in Ilorin, Kwara State, Chidoka warned that Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry faces a defining moment that requires bold reforms, innovation, and accountability.
He described the soaring cost of medicines and healthcare products in Nigeria as evidence of deeper structural failures, not just currency instability. According to him, Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), estimated at 70 to 80 percent, continues to weaken local production and drive up prices.
Chidoka urged manufacturers to adopt what he termed an “Agency Culture,” where industry players take responsibility for quality, efficiency, and innovation regardless of economic or regulatory challenges.
“The future belongs to organizations willing to work differently with long-term vision,” he stated.
He stressed that pharmaceutical companies must move beyond basic compliance with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and build systems that meet international standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA).
“The regulator’s weakness is not your permission to be weak. You are not building for NAFDAC alone; you are building for WHO, AfCFTA, and the Nigerian consumer,” Chidoka declared.
The former minister further called on manufacturers to lead reforms through innovation, data-driven systems, accountability, and self-regulation, while positioning Nigeria to benefit from opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Supporting the call for transformation, NAIP National Chairman, Bankole Ezebuilo, said excellence in pharmaceutical manufacturing must become an institutional culture rather than a regulatory obligation.
He advocated the use of modern performance tools such as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), benchmarking, and continuous feedback systems to improve standards across the industry.
The conference attracted top pharmaceutical stakeholders, including former Presidents of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), current PSN leadership, regulators, industry experts, and officials of the Kwara State Government.
Chidoka also unveiled his “Mekaria” operational philosophy and M²I framework Measure, Monitor, and Improve as a roadmap for institutional excellence and continuous improvement within Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector.
He concluded by urging stakeholders to see quality not as a compliance burden, but as a strategic advantage capable of positioning Nigerian pharmaceutical companies for global manufacturing opportunities and leadership in Africa.
