Importation of 70% of drugs in Nigeria, threat to national security – Emir Sanusi

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, has declared that 70 percent of drugs Nigerians are consuming are being imported from other countries.

Sanusi also revealed that 80 percent of the imported drugs are coming from India.

The Emir noted that this development poses security threats to the country.

Sanusi who described this situation as worrisome, spoke in a keynote address at a conference organised by Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria in Lagos, themed, ‘Reimagining Nigeria’s Health Security: Local Production, Economic Sovereignty & Strategic Partnership’.

Sanusi, according to a statement made available to DAILY POST at the end of the conference on Friday, called on the Federal Government to establish local plants and encourage local production of drugs in the country.

He added that this will go a long way to boost the country’s economy and social life.

He said, “70 percent of the drugs used in Nigeria are imported, with 82 percent of those imports originating from a single source, India.

“This concentration is bad news for national security, I call for urgent political engagement to establish local plants, aiming to ensure the pharmaceutical Industry in Nigeria becomes self-sufficient to boost the domestic supply chain.”

Importation of 70% of drugs in Nigeria, threat to national security – Emir Sanusi