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Nigeria At Risk: Pharmacists Caution Against 70% Dependency On Imported Drugs.
Pharmacists under the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) have warned that it is highly risky for Nigeria to depend on imported drugs for about 70 per cent of its medicine needs.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The association described the situation as troubling and urged the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently support local pharmaceutical production. According to them, boosting domestic drug manufacturing will reduce reliance on imports and help position Nigeria as a leading pharmaceutical hub in Africa.
The National Chairman of NAIP, Pharmacist Bankole Ezebuilo, made the remarks at the 29th Annual National Conference and Training held in Ilorin, Kwara State, with the theme “Collaboration and Innovation to Build Local Solutions for the Future of Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Industry.”
The event had in attendance key stakeholders, including Kwara State Commissioner for Finance, Dr Hauwa Nuru; Commissioner for Social Welfare, Dr Mariam Nana Fatima Imam; Commissioner for Communication, Hon. Bolanle Olukoju; and the Executive Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, Abdulraheem Abdulmalik.
Also present were past Presidents of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), including Mohammed Yaro Budah, Azubike Okwor, Olumide Akintayo, Ahmed Iyakassai, and Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, as well as the current PSN President, Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim (represented by Gafar Lanre Madehin), and the Registrar of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed.
In a statement issued after the conference, Ezebuilo stressed that Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported medicines has placed the country at a critical crossroads.
He warned that a nation unable to produce its own medicines is effectively “negotiating with its health,” adding that such a situation is dangerous for both healthcare stability and economic sustainability.
Ezebuilo called for a shift toward pharmaceutical sovereignty through aggressive local production and urged the Federal Government to declare a national emergency in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.
He said: “No nation can outsource its health security. Nigeria currently imports more than 70 per cent of its medicines, a situation dangerous to national healthcare stability and economic sustainability.
“Nigeria is now at a critical crossroads where it must choose between continued dependence on imported medicines or the pursuit of pharmaceutical sovereignty through aggressive local production.
“The Federal Government should declare a national emergency on pharmaceutical manufacturing and implement policies capable of transforming Nigeria into the definitive pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in Africa.
“A nation that cannot produce its own medicines is a nation negotiating with its health, and negotiation is not where you want to be when lives are at stake.”
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AMVCA 2026: Sola Sobowale, Kanayo O. Kanayo Honoured With Prestigious Industry Merit Awards.
Veteran Nollywood actors, Kanayo O. Kanayo and Sola Sobowale, have been honoured with the Industry Merit Award at the 2026 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The recognition was presented on Saturday night during the 12th edition of the AMVCA ceremony held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos State.
The award celebrates their decades of outstanding contributions to the Nigerian film industry, as well as their lasting impact as two of Nollywood’s most respected screen legends.
While receiving her award, Sola Sobowale expressed gratitude to God, the organisers, her colleagues, fans, and most especially her children, whom she credited for making her journey through motherhood and career easier.
“I want to specially thank God Almighty for keeping me till this day to have this. I thank my children. Thank you to all my colleagues. I thank my fans because without you ‘Ko si Shola’ (there’s no Shola). It truly is an honour,” she said.
On his part, Kanayo O. Kanayo used his moment on stage to speak out against xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Nigerian record producer and music executive, Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy, has named alternative rock artiste Johnny Drille as his best musician.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Mavin Records boss described Johnny Drille’s sound as exceptional, adding that he considers him a complete and highly skilled musician.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Crea8torium podcast, Don Jazzy said Johnny Drille stands out uniquely in the Nigerian music industry and, in his view, has no close rival.
He praised the singer’s versatility, noting that he is involved in mixing, songwriting, and vocal performance.
“If you look at the Nigerian music industry right now, there is nobody like Johnny Drille. He is in a world of his own. He is like the best musician – the complete musician that I know. He is versatile. He mixes, writes, sings. He does everything,” Don Jazzy said.
He further commended Johnny Drille’s consistency in performance, stating that his live performances match his studio quality.
“He is also an amazing performer — the way he sounds in the studio is the same way he sounds in live shows,” he added.
The spokesperson for the eight Kano Central Senatorial District aspirants, Usman Bala, has explained that their withdrawal in favour of former Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, was influenced by the intervention of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and their collective respect for him.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Bala said all the aspirants unanimously accepted the governor’s peace initiative, describing it as timely, strategic, and instrumental in uniting all parties behind a common objective.
Governor Yusuf had successfully mediated in the long-standing dispute over the Kano Central senatorial ticket, a development that eventually produced Shekarau as the consensus candidate.
The resolution followed a high-level reconciliation meeting convened by the governor in Abuja, where all aspirants and key stakeholders agreed to set aside personal ambitions in the interest of unity, progress, and Kano State’s political future.
As a result of the agreement, the eight aspirants voluntarily stepped down and endorsed Shekarau as the consensus flagbearer for Kano Central under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kano Central, which is Nigeria’s largest senatorial district, covers 15 local government areas with an estimated population of over 10 million people, making the consensus decision a significant political development with wide implications.
Governor Yusuf praised the aspirants for prioritising collective interest over individual ambition, describing their action as a show of maturity, sacrifice, and commitment to democratic values.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to dialogue, inclusion, and consensus-building as key tools for political stability and sustainable development, expressing confidence that the agreement would strengthen unity and enhance Kano’s influence nationally.
In his reaction, Shekarau commended the governor’s role in fostering peace among the aspirants and expressed gratitude to those who stepped down in his favour, as well as their support for APC candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
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