Russia and Nigeria have agreed to cooperate in the production of pharmaceutical drugs. This was reported by TASS, citing Lyudmila Shcherbakova, President of Velpharm Group, who visited the Nigerian capital Abuja as part of a business mission of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance.
“Following the business mission, we agreed to develop the production of Russian pharmaceuticals, including vaccines. At the first stage, Nigerian specialists will undergo training at Russian enterprises. We also received from our colleagues in Abuja a list of the most in-demand medicines, which will allow us to move to practical implementation,” she said.
According to Shcherbakova, the potential of the Nigerian market, like that of the entire continent, is “colossal.” One of Africa’s largest economies and most populous nations faces a high burden of infectious diseases, while the prevalence of non-communicable diseases is also growing. This creates sustained demand for quality and affordable medicines.
In general, the most promising regions for the Russian pharmaceutical industry, in her opinion, are BRICS+ countries, especially Africa and the Middle East, as well as Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines). The markets of Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina also represent strategic interest, the expert believes.
Earlier, in September, Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov spoke about a significant increase in pharmaceutical exports to Africa. For instance, drug supplies to the Congo increased by 66%, to Algeria by 226%, and to Morocco by 510%.