…. Initiates Collaborative Research & Development (R&D) Pilot Programme to Foster Industry-Academia Linkages

The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has called for a synergy between the nations pharmaceutical manufacturers and Nigeria universities in the development of new medicines and vaccines to reduce the overdependence on imported medical products.

According to a press release by Sayo Akintola , Resident Media Consultant NAFDAC,  describing President Bola Tinubu’s recent ban on the importation of readily available products in Nigeria as the needed elixir for the growth of the local industry, Prof Adeyeye urged the nations academia and pharmaceutical industry to forge a partnership in Research and Development to enable the development of new products, including medicines and vaccines, that can address specific healthcare needs in Nigeria.

The DG gave the admonition while speaking on Industry, Regulatory, and Academia: The Future of Pharmaceutical Research and Development in Nigeria is Now at the 38th edition of Prof Victor Olufemi Marquis Memorial lecture, organised by the Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University OAU, lle-Ife, Osun State.

According to the Guest Lecturer, universities are well-positioned to develop skills, and to transfer knowledge, and technology to the industry, adding that universities are a hub for creating new enterprises, and their roles in knowledge and technology innovation tend to become more diverse.

She averred that academiaindustry linkage is essential for any nation to survive because it creates a formal platform for joint planning and implementation of mutually beneficial ties to both sides.

Prof Adeyeye, who said that NAFDAC already has relationships with many universities in Nigeria, added that such collaborations would also create an opportunity for the university and students to have experiential learning in the manufacturing and service industry.

Prof Adeyeye described the Academia-Industry relationship as the lifeblood of the nation’s economic growth, adding that it also increases competitiveness and the development of new products.

She added that once economic growth and industry expand, societal challenges, especially unemployment, will be reduced, GDP will increase, and quality of life will improve.

She disclosed that over the last seven years, the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry has grown significantly, driven by increasing demand for healthcare solutions, strengthening the regulatory system, and other government initiatives, such as the Executive Order announced by President Bola Tinubu in 2024.

NAFDAC conducted a study on the top five imported pharmaceutical products and the top five products manufactured locally.

The results revealed that the top five products we imported were the same top five that were locally produced. It didnt make sense to continue importing these products, so the Agency enforced the Five Plus Five Regulatory Directive.

This means the first registration of an imported product that is part of the top five gives authorisation to sell for five years, and the next five years will be the last registration cycle, at the end of which the product must be manufactured locally.

About 30 per cent of new or re-built local manufacturing companies in Nigeria now are a result of the Five Plus Five Regulatory Directive, she said.

The NAFDAC boss maintained that the Agency is setting the stage for pharmaceutical R&D with the nations vast and untapped potential, stressing that global trends emphasise local innovations leading to self-sufficiency in healthcare. She insisted that we must be proud of what we produce in Nigeria, as our products are now of better quality than what they used to be because of the regulatory system strengthening.

NAFDACs role is pivotal in enabling this transformation and the time to build a robust R&D system for a healthier Nigeria is now, she said, adding that the COVID-19 Pandemic and ongoing global business realignment are happenings that should teach us lessons to not be too dependent on other countries for commodities that can be produced in country while maintaining general global trade collaborations.

She reiterated that the country will undoubtedly import some drugs, but we should detach ourselves from our addiction to donations and handouts from other countries, as God has given us so much talent that is being wasted. She said that R&D is not a luxury but a necessity for national health security and economic growth.

To jumpstart the process, Prof Adeyeye disclosed that NAFDAC plans to initiate a pilot R&D collaboration programme with participants drawn from the universities and a select group of Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturers.

She said manufacturers would choose their preferred university partners on specific R&D projects, subject to their needs or gaps. She stressed that the Academia-Industry linkage must be based on legally endorsed confidentiality agreements and Memorandum of Understanding.

She told the very excited academic audience that the pilot programme, which she would oversee at arms length to avoid any conflict of interest where the product of the industry-academia collaboration comes to the Agency for regulatory approval. The program according to the Director General could be scaled up in the future.

She said she would work closely with the CEO of the Nigeria Natural Medicines Development Agency (NNMDA), who is also very active in the National Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA), to oversee the selections from the universities to ensure that the collaboration will be productive.

The careful selection is to ensure that the identified faculty, which will be narrowed down to one or two researchers per university, has the experience to work with the industry to translate the research into a product, solve a pharmaceutical problem, and focus efforts on return on investment that will be made by the industry.

She gave the example of company A identifying a product with soon-to-expire patent protection, which the company can work with university researchers to reformulate a sustained-release version of the product to enhance patient compliance.

She mentioned possible areas of collaboration between the industry and academia, especially regarding clinical trials, or bioequivalence studies where the universities can partner on patient recruitment, trial coordination, and ethical approvals. Joint development of indigenous vaccines to fight endemic diseases in the West African region, like Lassa fever, should be the preoccupation of the universities.

She mentioned that another channel of participation or collaboration with vaccine manufacturing is technology transfer and local fill and finish of vaccines, adding that there are so many opportunities to collaborate with universities regarding vaccine manufacturing. She noted that the skill set required can only be addressed through effective and innovative collaboration between academia and industry.

The role of R&D in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised, especially in increasing local production of pharmaceuticals, reducing import dependence, creating jobs, improving healthcare outcomes, reducing disease burden, better access to medicines, improving targeted therapy, and treatment options, she said.

Because Nigeria is developing R&D clusters and creating an integrated innovation ecosystem, she said its time to supercharge its academic research community and the livelihoods of millions, hence national development.

Prof Adeyeye stated that Nigeria has the potential, stressing that We have the partnerships and the regulatory framework behind to back all this up. By focusing our efforts and leveraging collaboration, we can unlock Nigerias R&D capabilities.

She maintained that the pilot programme is the critical first step, as she urged academia to join hands with industry and NAFDAC to build a future where pharmaceutical innovation thrives in Nigeria, for Nigeria.