Pate disclosed this on Sunday in a video post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.
He also hinted that the initiative seeks to ensure that a large portion of the vaccines consumed in the country are also produced locally.
”This historic development would not have been possible without the critical work of the presidential initiative to unlock the healthcare value chain, PAC, undertaken since its establishment by the president in November 2023 under the leadership of its national coordinator Dr. Abdu Mukhtar , which has led to several high-value investment commitments and for the initiative that has the mandate to increase local manufacturing of pharmaceutical products in Nigeria to at least 70% of locally consumed pharmaceuticals and a large portion of the vaccines that we consume by 2030,” the minister said.
According to him, the initiative also aims to significantly increase the number of full-time employees working in life sciences manufacturing by tens of thousands, up from the current workforce of approximately 20,000
He said to achieve this, the government has partnered with the Empower School of Health, Geneva, in Switzerland, to set up the Empower Academy Nigeria, a regional training hub that will build skills in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
The minister said, “Only a few days ago, the foremost Swiss Academy, the Empower School of Health Geneva, signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a regional training hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria, which will be launched very soon. It will be named Empower Academy Nigeria.”
He added that the Empower Academy Nigeria would focus on training workers in areas like advanced manufacturing, regulatory sciences, and quality assurance, as well as provide modern training for students and support agencies like NAFDAC in improving the pharmaceutical sector.
According ot him, Empower Academy Nigeria would also offer certification courses in collaboration with global bodies like the World Health Organisation, Africa CDC, UNITAR, and the International Federation of Pharmacists.
“‘In partnership with regional bodies and international organizations, with the World Health Organization, Africa Centers for Disease Control, the UN Institute for Training and Research, and the International Federation of Pharmacists and others conducted by trainers with 10 to 20 years of experience each, the efficacy of the institution will be measured by key performance indicators in conformity with global best practice,” he said.
Pate further revealed that over 70 new healthcare manufacturing companies are already working on 22 large projects, with talks ongoing with various international financiers.
He thanked his fellow ministers, Jumoke Oduole and John Enoh, for moving the initiative forward through their roles in the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment as well as improving the country’s healthcare system, growing the economy, and reducing dependence on imported medicines.
