Key points
- Egyptian pharmaceutical company Utopia Pharmaceuticals plans to establish a drug manufacturing plant in Abia State.
- The proposed facility is expected to serve Nigeria and the wider West African market.
- Abia State says the project aligns with its industrialisation agenda and job creation goals.
- The investors are considering the Ukwa axis because of its gas resources, power supply and available land.
Main story
Egyptian pharmaceutical company Utopia Pharmaceuticals has announced plans to establish a drug manufacturing plant in Abia State to serve Nigeria and the wider West African market.
The founder of the company, Mr Kamel Muhamed, disclosed this during a meeting with Governor Alex Otti at Nvosi in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area on Wednesday.
Muhamed said the company was seeking a partnership with the Abia State Government as part of its expansion strategy across Africa.
According to him, the proposed facility would position Nigeria as a hub for advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing while supplying medicines to the West African sub-region.
He said Utopia Pharmaceuticals already operates within the framework of an existing Memorandum of Understanding between Egypt and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on drug registration.
Muhamed added that the company had implemented similar pharmaceutical manufacturing projects in Tanzania and other African countries and was prepared to replicate the model in Abia.
He also disclosed plans to conduct a pilot presentation of the company’s anti-malaria products in the state.
Responding, Governor Otti welcomed the proposal, saying his administration prioritises investments that promote local manufacturing rather than the distribution of imported products.
He said manufacturing projects would create jobs, stimulate economic activity, reduce poverty and facilitate technology transfer.
The governor assured the investors of the state’s support and recommended the Ukwa axis as the preferred location for the facility because of its natural gas resources, reliable electricity supplied by Geometric Power and the availability of land for industrial development.
Otti also directed the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche, to work with the investors to facilitate the establishment of the project.
The issues
Nigeria is encouraging local pharmaceutical manufacturing to reduce dependence on imported medicines, strengthen healthcare security, create jobs and position the country as a regional production hub.
What’s being said
“We are more interested in investments that promote production rather than the distribution of finished products.” — Gov. Alex Otti
What’s next
Utopia Pharmaceuticals and the Abia State Government are expected to continue discussions on site selection, regulatory approvals and partnership arrangements ahead of the proposed establishment of the manufacturing plant.
Bottom line
The proposed pharmaceutical plant could strengthen Nigeria’s local drug manufacturing capacity, create employment and expand access to medicines across West Africa.
