By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
Nigeria and Bangladesh have entered into a strategic collaboration aimed at strengthening pharmaceutical development and boosting trade relations between both countries.
The partnership was formalised during a courtesy visit by the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Nigeria, Miah Kabir, to the Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the visit, Kabir expressed Bangladesh’s readiness to partner with NAFDAC in advancing the pharmaceutical industry, while also promoting trade and investment between both nations. He described Nigeria as a strategic partner and highlighted Bangladesh’s population of over 180 million people, noting the vast economic opportunities that exist through stronger bilateral ties.
The envoy stated that the visit was aimed at exploring areas of mutual collaboration, particularly in strengthening the security of drugs and vaccines, expanding trade, and fostering technological exchange between Nigeria and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
In her response, Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring the availability of safe, high-quality, and effective medicines in Nigeria. She noted that the country’s pharmaceutical sector has experienced significant growth over the years, driven largely by the agency’s stringent regulatory framework and enforcement mechanisms.
According to her, under her leadership over the past eight years, at least 200 Nigerian pharmaceutical companies have attained international standards. She added that the agency continues to uphold global best practices by enforcing strict compliance with regulatory requirements across the industry.
Adeyeye further explained that beyond approving medicines, NAFDAC conducts continuous post-market surveillance to ensure that products maintain their quality, with substandard medicines promptly withdrawn from circulation.
She also highlighted that NAFDAC’s attainment of World Health Organization Maturity Level 3 status has boosted investor confidence, attracting international partnerships and investments into Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector.
The NAFDAC boss called on Bangladeshi investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s large and growing market by establishing pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in the country, particularly in the area of vaccine production.
She added that Nigeria remains open to investment and noted that NAFDAC operates a state-of-the-art vaccines and biologics laboratory in Lagos—one of the few of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa—demonstrating the country’s readiness to support advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing.
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