Nigerian drug manufacturing company, Fidson Healthcare Plc, has announced a partnership with Chinese firms to construct a $100 million pharmaceutical plant in Lagos.
The collaboration, formalised through a memorandum of cooperation, includes Jiangsu Aidea Pharmaceutical Co., PharmaBlock Sciences Nanjing Inc., and the China-Africa Development Fund. The new facility is expected to be completed within 30 months.
Fidson’s venture aims to enhance Nigeria’s healthcare self-reliance, particularly in addressing HIV treatment needs. The country is home to approximately 2 million people living with HIV, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.
Nigeria faces significant challenges in healthcare, with all anti-retroviral drugs currently being imported. This reliance, combined with economic pressures such as inflation, insecurity, and energy shortages, has contributed to a worsening shortage of essential medicines.
Recent exits by multinational drugmakers, including GSK Plc and Sanofi SA, have left a gap in the supply chain for treatments for opportunistic infections, particularly among HIV patients.
Fidson, which previously manufactured over-the-counter products for GSK, is working to fill this void, having launched over 16 new products since June 2023.
“By integrating our expertise and experience in the field of innovative drugs, we are confident in bringing greater well-being to patients,” Fidson said in a statement, highlighting the mutual benefits of the partnership.
This initiative could mark a significant turning point for Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry, addressing long-standing drug shortages and bolstering the local production of essential medicines.
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