Business
Ogun First Lady, Others Call for Revival of Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Industry
The First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, has urged professionals in the pharmaceutical industry to build on existing legacies and intensify efforts to revitalise local drug manufacturing and innovation.
She made the call while speaking at the 2025 Pharmacy Week organised by the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Ogun State branch, in Abeokuta.
Speaking on the theme, “Harnessing Pharmaceutical Innovations for Equitable Health Care in a Rapidly Evolving Economy”, Mrs. Abiodun noted that increased budgetary allocations to the health sector at both federal and state levels reflect a growing national commitment to healthcare. She stressed that sustaining these investments is vital for strengthening pharmaceutical research, regulation, and local production.
Commending the PSN for its professionalism and consistency, she warned that with the gradual withdrawal of funding from key global health partners, the burden now falls more on domestic institutions and stakeholders.
“We must begin to build resilience through domestic resource mobilisation and strategic public-private partnerships,” she said, adding that initiatives like the proposed Ogun State Pharma Resource Hub must be prioritised to boost local capacity for medicine production, storage, and distribution.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, praised the society’s efforts and encouraged the pharmaceutical sector to leverage local resources for drug research and development.
Chairman of the occasion, Pharm. Samson Osewa, emphasised the importance of collaboration, stating, “To harness pharmaceutical innovation for equitable healthcare, we must forge strong partnerships between government, private companies, universities, and civil society. No sector can do it alone.”
In his welcome address, PSN Ogun State Chairman, Pharm. Adewale Adenugba, reiterated the society’s commitment to public health through policy advocacy, ethics, innovation, and professional development.
