Abuja, Nigeria (CU)_ The four European market leaders of the pharma industry, namely Merck, Unizima, Rommelag, and Fredlab, have revealed plans to establish a Bio-Pharma Industrial Complex in Nigeria in collaboration with a Nigerian firm PIA BioPharma. The announcement was made in a statement released by the Office of the Presidency during a meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria Integrated Biopharmaceuticals Industries Consortium (NIBI).
President Buhari indicated that he wants Nigeria to be a leader in the pharmaceutical industry. According to the Presidency, the Nigeria Integrated Biopharmaceuticals Industries Consortium (NIBI), which is composed of four European biotechnology businesses, is joining forces with Nigerian firm PIA BioPharma to develop a world-class biopharmaceutical industrial complex in Nigeria.
The statement noted, “The Bio-Pharma Industrial Complex to be established in Nigeria will manufacture vaccines and essential therapeutics. The NIBI consortium is made up of the European biotech companies Merck, Unizima, Rommelag, and Fredlab.” Mr Vilarugel Cuyas, Chairman/CEO of Fredlab, led the group that met with President Buhari. The president directed the Health Ministry to coordinate closely with the consortium and also provide the necessary assistance to accomplish the NIBI project within the next few months.
Additionally, the president asked the Health Ministry to provide a status report on domestic vaccine manufacturing in Nigeria by the end of May 2022. Buhari expressed delight over the partnership. He said, “I welcome the NIBI Consortium’s desire to partner with the Nigerian Government in support of our agenda and look forward to the implementation of the NIBI project as it takes shape. I want Nigeria to make a bold statement in this field”. According to a previous report by Nairametrics, the World Health Organization (WHO) picked Nigeria and five other African nations to begin manufacturing Covid-19 vaccines because of the continent’s lower access to vaccines. According to the WHO, they were chosen as the first beneficiaries of technology from the organization’s global mRNA vaccine center, as part of an effort to guarantee that Africa can manufacture its own vaccines to combat COVID and other illnesses
