August 11, (THEWILL) — President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to ensure the safety, quality, and efficacy of medicines and vaccines in line with international best practices.
In a congratulatory message on Monday, Tinubu hailed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control for retaining the World Health Organisation’s Maturity Level 3 certification for the regulation of medicines and vaccines.
The WHO conducted a re-benchmarking exercise from May 28 to 30, 2025, assessing NAFDAC against globally recognised regulatory standards.
The agency first attained ML3 status in 2022, becoming Africa’s first national regulatory authority to achieve the milestone in regulating medicines and vaccines (non-producing). In line with WHO policy, periodic reviews are conducted to ensure compliance.
The latest evaluation followed a formal re-benchmarking in November 2024 and five Institutional Development Plan review meetings between February and April 2025 to assess corrective actions.
Tinubu described NAFDAC’s sustained performance as proof of a stable, well-functioning, and integrated regulatory system, crediting government investment in strengthening the agency.
He commended NAFDAC’s management and staff for their professionalism and dedication to safeguarding public health, adding that the achievement cements Nigeria’s position as a reliable partner in global health security and pandemic preparedness.
The President said the milestone aligns with his Renewed Hope Agenda to transform Nigeria’s healthcare system. He highlighted ongoing efforts to upgrade more than 17,000 primary health centres nationwide, improve maternal care and diagnostics in underserved communities, train 120,000 frontline health workers, and double national health insurance coverage within three years.
Underscoring the need to boost local production of healthcare products, Tinubu pledged continued collaboration with credible partners, development agencies, and donors to promote the pharmaceutical sector, attract investment, and expand manufacturing capacity.
He assured that his administration will support NAFDAC in its drive to attain WHO’s Maturity Level 4, the highest global standard of regulatory excellence.
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