ESSENTIAL API - NIGERIA

The operation aims at increasing the manufacturing capacity of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in Africa. An allocation of up to USD 12 million from the COVID-19 ESSENTIAL API MANUFACTURING IN AFRICA (2020-0584) Global Authorisation is provided to a local manufacturer in Nigeria, supporting the expansion of its facilities to produce several different APIs, which will be used in treatments against malaria.

The operation aims at establishing the first manufacturing plant of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in Nigeria, for use in the production of antimalarial drugs. The objectives are to improve the availability and security of pharmaceutical products in Nigeria and the West Africa region, to increase the robustness of the pharmaceutical supply chain by reducing dependency on imports and to display the region's capacity to integrate backwards in the pharmaceutical manufacturing chain. Furthermore, the increased security and availability of antimalarial drugs is expected to positively contribute towards preventing and treating malaria, which still represents a significant public health threat, notably in Nigeria.

The Project concerns the development of an API manufacturing facility for the production of the raw materials for making anti-malarial drugs. The facility will be in full compliance with international standards and the first of its kind in SSA. It addresses the specific market failure leading to under-investment in local production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), mainly due to an underdeveloped market, absence or reduced local skilled labour, and small scale of local manufacturers.

The project supports NDICI goals including improving health outcomes, providing decent jobs and eradicating poverty. NDICI envisages countries being better prepared to deal to deal with disease and pandemics and building a pharmaceutical manufacturing base in Nigeria, and Africa more generally, is an important component of this. It also furthers the African Union 2063 Agenda, which targets a healthy local population under its first aspiration and the aspiration for a prosperous continent, with the means and self-sufficiency to drive its own development. 

Moreover, the indication targeted by the Project - malaria - poses a significant drag to human development and economic output in countries that are affected and increased access and security of antimalarial drugs in Nigeria is at the centre of the country's economic and social development strategy.

The project will be subject to a full Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and appropriate measures will be taken to avoid, reduce, mitigate, compensate and remedy the likely impact in order to comply with applicable EIB Environmental and Social Standards.

The Bank will require that all project contracts financed by the Bank are procured in accordance with the Bank's Guide to Procurement.

Founded by Dr Stella Okoli, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (https://www.emzorpharma.com/) is a leading indigenous pharmaceutical company in Nigeria, specialising in the production of a wide range of high quality pharmaceutical products. Emzor has reached an API Manufacturing Technology Transfer and Licensing Agreement with India's Mangalam Drugs & Organics Limited, a global leader in API production, to locally manufacture in Nigeria and distribute APIs for the treatment and prevention of malaria, which includes on-site support during implementation and operation of the facility. API for Africa (APIFA, https://apiforafrica.org/), a not-for-profit organisation facilitating local production of APIs in SSA, has been instrumental in supporting Emzor with market scoping. engagements with financiers, assessment of national regulation and will continue to support Emzor during implementation.