The government is planning to stop the import of medical syringes to help local businesses grow and improve the country’s economy. Dr. Tunji Alausa, the health minister, shared this news during a visit to a big syringe factory in Arepo, Ogun State. He said the government wants to help the manufacturing industry do more for the country’s economy.
Dr. Alausa mentioned that changing how syringes are made in Nigeria is aimed at making sure the market has high-quality products made by Nigerians, which will create good jobs for people. He asked the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to make sure that too many imported syringes don’t hurt local businesses by making competition too tough. He told them not to allow more imports to protect local makers and improve Nigeria’s ability to make things on its own.
The minister also asked NAFDAC to work with other agencies to make sure the government’s plans work well, emphasizing President Bola Tinubu’s goal to remove obstacles to industrial growth in Nigeria. The head of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said they’ve already stopped giving permission to bring in syringes, including to their international partners. She mentioned that the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency has been told to buy syringes from local makers to help create jobs and grow Nigerian companies.
Prof Adeyeye explained that the last permission to import syringes was given in December 2023, and from then on, the focus would be on buying from local manufacturers, highlighting NAFDAC’s effort to stop syringe imports to support local production. This move aims to boost the domestic manufacturing of syringes.
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