Fidson Healthcare Plc, Nigeria’s largest drugmaker, has announced a partnership with Chinese companies to build a $100 million pharmaceutical plant in Lagos. This collaboration involves Jiangsu Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., PharmaBlock Sciences Nanjing Inc., and the China-Africa Development Fund. The facility is expected to be completed in 30 months.
The new plant aims to boost Nigeria’s healthcare self-reliance, particularly in addressing the needs of HIV treatment. With around 2 million people living with HIV in the country, access to anti-retroviral drugs is crucial, Fidson said. Currently, Nigeria imports all its anti-retroviral medications, which limits availability. Also, this raises concerns due to economic challenges like inflation and energy shortages.
Recent exits of multinational drugmakers like GSK Plc and Sanofi SA have worsened medicine shortages. Fidson, which previously manufactured products for GSK, said it will be stepping in to fill this gap. The company has introduced over 16 new products since June 2023. Fidson expressed confidence in the partnership and stated that it will greatly improve the country’s pharmaceutical landscape.
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