Nigeria, Barbados Seal Strategic Pharma MoU to Boost Local Production, Regional Health Security
Abuja, Nigeria | 25 November 2025
Nigeria and Barbados have taken a significant step toward strengthening health sector cooperation with the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria’s Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and Barbados Pharmaceutical Inc. (BPI). The ceremony, witnessed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, was held on Tuesday in Abuja and signals a major advancement in bilateral health and industrial collaboration.
The MoU is poised to accelerate local pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria while expanding regional market access across CARICOM–LATAM, ECOWAS, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It establishes a shared operational framework to drive industrial growth, boost drug availability, and improve regulatory cooperation between both nations. A key component of the agreement includes the initiation of discussions toward a regulatory reliance arrangement between NAFDAC and Barbados’ emerging Medical Products Regulatory Authority.
Central to the partnership are plans to develop joint activities that enhance local production capacity, support policy reforms, and create new financing pathways aligned with PVAC’s successful deal-making model. As part of the engagement, the Barbados delegation will visit AMA Medical Manufacturer and tour existing biomedical facilities, laying the groundwork for a Barbados-based production hub and future bilateral trade in medical, pharmaceutical, and diagnostic products.
Prof. Pate reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the partnership, noting that it aligns closely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda to industrialize the health sector, reduce dependency on medical imports, and strengthen both national and regional health security. He emphasized that Nigeria’s expanding pharmaceutical market, strengthened regulatory landscape, and broadening primary healthcare utilization present ideal conditions for impactful collaboration with global partners such as Barbados.
The agreement marks a milestone in South–South cooperation and signals a shared commitment to building resilient health systems and sustainable pharmaceutical ecosystems across Africa and the Caribbean.
