By Chioma Obinna
Pharmaceutical industry leaders on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to prioritise pharmaceutical innovation, technology adoption, and local production of essential drug ingredients as a pathway to national development and health security.
Making the call ahead of the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), Valedictory Session, and Investiture of Fellows of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPHARM), scheduled to hold from October 15 to 16, they insisted that innovation is the backbone of national development and the future of healthcare delivery.
At a pre-event press conference, Pharm. (Dr.) Ahmed Yakassai, Vice President 2 of NAPHARM and former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), said innovation is no longer optional for the pharmacy profession but a necessity for Nigeria’s survival in the global health economy.
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He said: “Without innovation, technology, and creativity, you’ll be left behind. COVID-19 showed us that without pharmaceutical innovation, a nation can be crippled. During the pandemic, countries that could not produce their own medicines suffered the most.”
He noted that NAPHARM has continued to drive advocacy, mentorship, and institutional reforms to promote innovation and strengthen the role of pharmacists in healthcare delivery.
“Pharmacy is not a local profession; it’s a global one,” he said. “In the next two years, if we don’t embrace innovation and technology, we will be completely left behind. From drug distribution to combating falsified medicines, innovation is key.”
Yakassai also disclosed plans to establish the NAPHARM Research and Innovation Centre, a forward-looking institution designed to drive indigenous pharmaceutical research, innovation, and policy engagement.
“As Nigeria pursues self-reliance in healthcare and a diversified, knowledge-driven economy, the pharmaceutical profession must stand at the heart of that transformation,” he said.
Speaking on the Academy’s achievements, Yakassai said NAPHARM has intensified advocacy for government to prioritise pharmacists through better remuneration, clear career pathways, and integration into primary healthcare.
He also paid tribute to the late Pharm. (Chief) Oludolapo Ibukun Akinkugbe, one of the founding fathers of pharmacy in Nigeria, whose valedictory session will form part of this year’s AGM.
Also speaking, Pharm. Lolo Ojo, Director of Programmes, NAPHARM, also stressed that pharmaceutical innovation is crucial for Nigeria’s economic recovery and job creation.
“The pharmaceutical industry can be a major driver of GDP growth,” Ojo said. “One global company alone had a turnover of $59 billion last year — more than Nigeria’s national budget. Imagine what our economy could gain if we invested strategically in local production and research.”
They called for urgent invest
ment in local Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) production to reduce dependence on imports.
“We have crude oil, yet we still import raw materials to make drugs,” Yakassai said. “If we can establish local API production through petrochemical industries, we can achieve true medicine security.”
Speaking, former GSK Managing Director, Pharm. Lekan Asuni, also urged closer collaboration between regulators, academia, and the media to strengthen pharmacovigilance and combat antimicrobial resistance.
“Healthcare without medicine is nothing,” Yakassai added. “Innovation is not optional. If we fail to invest in technology and research now, we will continue to depend on other nations for our health and our future.”
The Academy said the two-day event will also feature the induction of 14 new Fellows, four Lifetime Achievement Awards, and six Honorary Fellows, with hybrid participation via PharmaStreamTV on YouTube and Zoom for a global audience.
Yakassai said: “Together, we must build a pharmacy profession that heals, leads, and transforms. Pharmaceutical innovation is the bridge between health, science, and national development — and Nigeria must not be left behind.”
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