Nigeria: Vaccine Manufacturing Gap Delays NAFDAC's WHO Level 4 Certification

What the report says

NAFDAC’s director-general, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, says Nigeria’s lack of local vaccine manufacturing capacity is slowing the agency’s efforts to reach World Health Organisation Maturity Level 4 certification for vaccine lot release. She made the remarks in Lagos at the 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers’ Expo, according to Leadership’s report carried by AllAfrica, and urged international development partners to help establish vaccine production facilities in the country.

Adeyeye said Nigeria has already met most of the regulatory benchmarks needed for the WHO standard, with vaccine lot release remaining the main gap. She argued that this requirement cannot be fully completed without domestic manufacturing capacity, and specifically called for support for fill-and-finish modular vaccine plants. She also said Nigeria previously had vaccine-making capability and needs to rebuild it to reduce dependence on imports and improve medicine security.

The NAFDAC chief also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2024 executive order on local pharmaceutical manufacturing, saying it has strengthened incentives for the sector. She pointed to wider reforms in regulation and quality control, including routine GMP inspections, reduced imports under government initiatives, and international recognition for NAFDAC’s work. The article frames the issue as part of Nigeria’s broader push for pharmaceutical self-reliance and stronger health-system resilience.