Abuja: The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia (FUTHL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in vaccine and drug research, development, and clinical trials. The agreement, signed in the presence of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, seeks to address longstanding gaps in local production of vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, FUTHL Chief Medical Director, Dr. Ikrama Hassan, stated the partnership was timely, noting Africa still produces ‘less than 10 per cent of the vaccines and drugs that we need on the continent.’ He added that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the continent’s vulnerabilities and highlighted the urgent need to build resilient research and manufacturing systems for vaccines and pharmaceuticals. Hassan emphasized the goal of making Nigeria a significant hub for research on vaccines and drugs by leveraging NIPRD’s existing advantages.
Hassan disclosed that at least 200 hospital staff would participate in the research collaboration, stressing that developing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) locally would allow Nigeria to own intellectual property for swift responses during future pandemics. He remarked on the historic significance of the day, noting the importance of self-reliance in vaccine and drug development in the event of border closures during pandemics.
NIPRD Director-General, Dr. Obi Adigwe, said the MoU aligns with the institute’s strategy of forging high-impact partnerships that accelerate national pharmaceutical innovation and capacity building. Adigwe revealed that implementation of the MoU would begin immediately, with quarterly progress updates provided to the minister. NIPRD had secured an 18 million pounds agreement with the European Union, Africa’s largest R and D initiative.
Under the MoU, FUTHL would benefit from upcoming training programmes, including slots for 50 to 100 Nigerian scientists at Stanford University in February 2026. Adigwe explained that the selection process would be competitive, but the MoU guarantees slots for FUTHL. He also highlighted that the collaboration would strengthen clinical trials capacity, referencing NIPRD’s leadership in Nigeria’s first fractional dosing COVID-19 vaccine trial, which would now extend to FUTHL.
Adigwe outlined plans to advance phytomedicine research, noting Nasarawa State’s rich plant resources with ethnomedicinal value and potential to generate income for women and youth. He emphasized that combining his private-sector experience with Hassan’s leadership in transitioning FUTHL from state to federal control would align priorities and create commercialisation pathways for research outputs.
The partnership is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s role in Africa’s pharmaceutical innovation ecosystem while advancing ongoing national efforts to localise vaccine and drug manufacturing.