Nigeria is stepping up efforts to manufacture its own vaccines after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the country’s dependence on foreign supplies, according to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.

The agency’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, on Monday said Nigeria must learn from the global vaccine shortages experienced during the pandemic and take concrete steps toward vaccine self-sufficiency.

“Nigeria must not wait for another pandemic to build vaccine self-sufficiency,” Adeyeye said in a statement. “Our overdependence on foreign supplies during COVID-19 showed the risks of relying on international donors for critical health interventions.”

Despite having one of the continent’s largest pharmaceutical markets, the country still relies almost entirely on global partners such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF to meet domestic demand.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria faced significant delays in vaccine access as wealthier countries secured most of the early global supplies.

The experience intensified calls for African nations to build domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity to avoid future shortages.

NAFDAC said it has strengthened its regulatory framework for vaccines, biologics, and medical devices through institutional restructuring and global benchmarking. In 2024, the agency created a dedicated Directorate for Vaccines, Biologics, and Medical Devices, aligning its structure with international best practices.

The regulator achieved World Health Organisation Maturity Level 3 status for medicines and imported vaccines in 2022, a milestone that demonstrates Nigeria’s regulatory system functions at a stable, well-defined, and integrated level. Efforts are now underway to attain ML3 for locally manufactured vaccines, a prerequisite for WHO prequalification.

NAFDAC’s strengthened capacity now covers market authorisation, inspections, clinical trial oversight, post-market surveillance, and pharmacovigilance, all vital elements of an effective vaccine regulatory system.

The agency also operates an in-house laboratory for vaccines, biologics, and medical devices, making it the only national regulatory authority in sub-Saharan Africa with such capability.

Adeyeye said the agency has developed guidelines for emergency response to ensure sustained preparedness for epidemics and pandemics. She encouraged local pharmaceutical manufacturers to begin with fill and finish operations, a critical step toward full-scale vaccine production.

The initiative, she noted, aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises domestic industrial growth and improved access to quality healthcare.

“The strengthened regulatory framework, combined with the Federal Government’s commitment, provides a strong foundation for local vaccine manufacturing in Nigeria,” Adeyeye said.

“NAFDAC remains committed to supporting manufacturers and ensuring that all locally produced vaccines meet global standards of safety, quality, and efficacy.”

The move marks another step in Nigeria’s long-term plan to position itself as a regional hub for vaccine production and reduce dependence on global supply chains that have historically limited access during health emergencies.