Managing Director (MD) of Colexa Bisensor Ltd, Kingsley Aguoru, has said that Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector requires consistent policy implementation, stronger support for local manufacturers, and long-term government commitment to reducing the country’s dependence on imported medicines and medical products.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Saturday , Aguoru said Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported pharmaceutical products remains a longstanding challenge despite years of policy discussions and reform efforts.
He said successive governments have introduced initiatives to boost local manufacturing, but poor implementation and policy inconsistency have slowed progress.
“It is one thing to make policies, but at times you see that these policies are like flip-flops. You make a policy today, tomorrow you change it,” he said.
Aguoru maintained that political will is essential to the transformation of the sector, noting that investors must be assured that policies aimed at promoting local production will remain consistent and be implemented over the long term.
According to him, manufacturing remains the foundation of economic growth and industrial development, creating jobs, building technical expertise, and strengthening national capacity.
“We need policies that can properly reshape the sector, so that instead of 70% importation, we achieve 70% local manufacturing and 30% imports,” he stated.
He cited Colexa Biensor’s decision to commence local production of diagnostic test kits as a successful example of backward integration, noting that the initiative was achieved despite resistance and several challenges encountered along the way.
Aguoru explained that local manufacturers continue to face significant obstacles, including limited access to affordable financing, inadequate power supply, technology transfer constraints, and market competition from imported products.
“Manufacturing takes time, it is risky and costly. You cannot compare someone accessing commercial loans at 30% interest in Nigeria with another getting financing at much lower rates elsewhere,” he added
He also highlighted the issue of underutilised production capacity, noting that many local factories operate far below their potential due to limited market demand and the dominance of imported products.
According to Aguoru, government procurement policies that prioritise locally manufactured products are positive developments, but their impact is often weakened by delayed payments and implementation challenges.
“It’s one thing to give me the business; it’s another thing to pay me for it,” he stated
Aguoru further stressed that local manufacturers have the capacity to meet a significant share of Nigeria’s healthcare needs if provided with adequate support and a level playing field.
He added that public perception and longstanding preference for imported products remain barriers that local manufacturers must overcome through quality assurance and sustained market engagement.
Looking ahead, Aguoru called on the government to ensure that incentives genuinely benefit local producers and that policies are consistently enforced across all levels of implementation.
“Let incentives not be tilted in favour of importers. When a policy is introduced and waivers are granted, they should be structured to truly benefit those they are intended for,” he explained.
Goodness Anunobi
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