Health
Health leaders to tackle Nigeria’s policy implementation gap at October conference
Health policymakers, legislators, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders are expected to meet in Abuja in October to discuss how Nigeria can bridge the gap between health policies and their implementation.
The stakeholders will meet at the 2026 National Health Equity Conference scheduled for 13 to 15 October at the Nigeria National Merit Award House, Maitama, Abuja.
The conference, organised by OneBarrow International Limited, will focus on the theme, “From Policy to Impact: Care Coordination as the Core Engine of Health Equity.”
According to the organisers, the meeting will examine how stronger coordination across different levels of the healthcare system can improve access to care, quality of services and continuity of treatment.
The conference is expected to bring together policymakers, legislators, healthcare regulators, development partners, professional bodies, healthcare practitioners, civil society organisations, patient and community groups, academics and private sector representatives.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, is listed as the Chief Host, while the Chairman of the House Committee on Health Services, Amos Magaji, and the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, are expected to attend as Special Guests of Honour.
Policy implementation
The Chief Executive Officer of OneBarrow International Limited, Yemi Ajao, said the conference would focus on how existing health policies and frameworks could be translated into action.
“Nigeria has developed important health policies and frameworks, but the real test is what happens when those policies reach the people and communities they are designed to serve,” Mr Ajao said.
He said the conference would examine implementation across the federal, state and local government levels, as well as collaboration among healthcare professionals.
According to him, better coordination among doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, health administrators and other professionals could help reduce fragmentation in healthcare delivery.
“Every healthcare cadre has a unique and complementary role to play. The patient experiences the health system as one system, regardless of how many professionals or institutions are involved in their care,” he said.
He added that stronger referral systems, communication and accountability would be important to improving coordination within the health system.
Health equity
The organisers said health equity would be another major focus of the conference, particularly the effect of poor coordination on people who face barriers to accessing healthcare.
The meeting will also consider the role of technology, data and citizen participation in improving accountability in healthcare.
Issues expected to be discussed include digital feedback mechanisms, transparency, access to health information and awareness of patients’ rights.
Mr Ajao said citizens should have channels through which they can provide feedback on healthcare services and participate in discussions about the quality of care.
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“Citizens must understand their rights, have meaningful channels to provide feedback and be empowered to participate in conversations about the quality of care they receive,” he said.
Expected outcome
The organisers said the conference would produce a post conference communiqué and an implementation roadmap containing recommendations and commitments from participants.
They said the roadmap would be used to support policy implementation, track commitments and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders.
The organisers said the meeting would seek to move discussions beyond identifying problems to developing practical actions that can be implemented across Nigeria’s healthcare system.
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The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, and other stakeholders at the 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo, organised by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN).
Keywords: pharmaceutical manufacturing, Iziaq Salako, medicine security, local production, healthcare value chain, pharmaceuticals, PVAC
The federal government is targeting at least 70 per cent local production of essential healthcare products by 2030 as part of efforts to strengthen medicine security and reduce the country’s dependence on imports.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, disclosed this on Monday in Lagos while declaring open the 8th Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo, organised by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN).
The expo, themed “Regional Manufacturing: Advancing Africa’s Pharma and Life-Science Sovereignty through Localisation,” brought together stakeholders in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical and life-sciences sector.
$2bn financing, tariff relief for drug makers
Mr Salako said the government’s Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) had secured about $2 billion in financing commitments at single-digit interest rates, with about 50 Nigerian health firms in advanced discussions for funding.
He said the government was also using fiscal measures to support local pharmaceutical manufacturing, noting that 87 local manufacturers were benefiting from a presidential executive order granting zero tariffs on pharmaceutical machinery, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients across almost 1,000 Harmonised System codes.
According to him, the measures are intended to strengthen domestic manufacturing and build greater resilience into Nigeria’s healthcare supply chain.
From imports to domestic capacity
Speaking further, Mr Salako said disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the risks associated with dependence on global supply chains and underscored the need for Nigeria and other African countries to develop domestic capacity to produce medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other essential health technologies.
“Our conversation can no longer be limited to whether we can access medicines when global supply chains are functioning,” he said.
Mr Salako described medicine security as an issue of national resilience and sovereignty, saying Nigeria needed to develop capacity across the pharmaceutical value chain rather than concentrate on final-product assembly.
He said ongoing government efforts include expanding local production of APIs, vaccines, biologics, diagnostics and other health commodities.
Mr Salako also cited the operationalisation of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) API Capacity Building and Concept Production Centre, development of commercial API manufacturing capacity and efforts to localise production of HIV, hepatitis and syphilis diagnostic products.
He said Nigeria must also increase investment in research and development and harness its phytomedicinal resources to deepen pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Predictable market for local manufacturers
Mr Salako said the establishment of Medipool, Nigeria’s national Group Purchasing Organisation for essential medicines and medical commodities, would help create predictable demand for locally manufactured products.
He said the organisation would aggregate procurement, negotiate bulk purchases and improve supply-chain efficiency.
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In addition, he also urged pharmaceutical manufacturers, researchers, investors and development partners to explore regional markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He said Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing ambitions would depend on sustained investment, innovation, regulatory alignment and access to larger regional markets.
Mr Salako said stronger collaboration among government, manufacturers, researchers, investors and development partners would be necessary to build a more resilient pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem in Nigeria and across Africa.
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Resident doctors have given the federal government a 14-day ultimatum to begin implementing outstanding agreements on their welfare and working conditions or face “further industrial action.”
The ultimatum takes effect from 1 October 2026, according to a communique issued at the end of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’ (NARD) 46th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Calabar, Cross River State.
According to the document signed by the association’s new President, Ogar Idoko, Secretary-General, Besongngem Akotanchi, and Publicity and Social Secretary, Ashimom Msughter, the meeting was held from 21 to 26 September.
The doctors said the ultimatum became necessary due to ongoing delays in resolving several welfare and professional issues, despite the government’s previous engagements and commitments.
Outstanding allowances, salaries
The resident doctors demanded the immediate payment of 19 months of outstanding Professional Allowance Table (PAT) arrears.
They also demanded payment of outstanding arrears arising from the 25/35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for doctors and other affected health workers.
The association said several medical doctors were still owed salary and promotion arrears in various federal health institutions.
It also demanded the immediate correction of omissions and errors in the payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF). It called for an upward review of the fund to reflect the current cost of residency training.
The doctors said the reviewed MRTF should also be captured in the 2027 Appropriation Act.
Other demands
The resident doctors called for the accelerated conclusion of the long-running Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Nigerian Medical Association and the federal government.
They said the unresolved review of the CONMESS salary structure had remained outstanding for about 17 years and was contributing to the brain drain affecting the health sector.
The association also called for a sustainable recruitment system to address “the critical manpower shortages occasioned by brain drain and guarantee safe and effective healthcare delivery.”
It demanded the implementation of the approved work-hour regulation policy, including functional biometric systems to document working hours and a standardised system for compensating doctors for excess workload.
The doctors also called for the implementation of “the Assault on Health Workers Prevention Policy across all health institutions with clear accountability mechanisms” and the payment of outstanding pension contributions.
The association further demanded urgent improvements in healthcare infrastructure, equipment and essential medical facilities across the country.
It said poor infrastructure and inadequate equipment were affecting patient safety, healthcare delivery and the training of resident doctors.
Threat of industrial action
Under the resolution, the AGM mandates that the NARD National Executive Council (NEC) “closely monitor” the government’s response over the next two weeks.
The association said it would take “all necessary lawful and constitutionally sanctioned actions”, including further industrial action, if the authorities failed to demonstrate meaningful compliance within the stipulated period.
The latest ultimatum follows several rounds of disputes between resident doctors and the federal government this year.
In January, the doctors suspended a planned nationwide strike scheduled to begin on 12 January after the National Industrial Court restrained the association from embarking on the action, and the government made fresh commitments.
READ ALSO: Resident doctors commend Uba Sani for prioritising healthcare workers’ welfare
In April, resident doctors commenced a nationwide strike over the reversal of the Professional Allowance Table and other outstanding financial obligations. The action was suspended less than 24 hours later following government interventions.
In June, the association issued another 21-day ultimatum over unpaid allowances, salary arrears and delays in the residency training fund.
The resident doctors’ latest ultimatum, therefore, gives the federal government until 1 October to “commence demonstrable implementation of the resolutions contained in this communique.”
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