The National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) has announced plans to commence local production of insulin and HIV drugs within the next two years.
This initiative is spearheaded by the NBRDA’s Director-General, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha, adding that this could improve access to life-saving medication for diabetes and HIV patients across Nigeria.
Speaking with NAN on Monday in Abuja, Mustapha said the insulin and HIV drugs production project is being powered by a technical collaboration between NBRDA and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB).
“So, we want to see how we can fill the gap; we have collaborations. We are working with our partner company to start producing antiretroviral drugs for HIV, and we are going to do it here in NBRDA,” Mustapha said.
What This Means
Through this partnership, the NBRDA says it has secured access to vital insulin-production technology, a significant milestone considering the high cost and global demand for the hormone.
Prof. Mustapha noted that the next milestone in the process would be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a private partner company, signalling the start of domestic manufacturing.
“Hopefully in the next two years, we will definitely have something on the table,” he said. “That is our target, meaning that we have started the implementation of research, and we encourage other people to come forward to help drive the industrialization process of our country.”
The HIV Treatment Initiative
In addition to insulin, NBRDA is also moving to produce antiretroviral drugs for HIV treatment, an initiative which experts say is timely given the reported decline in international donor support for Nigeria’s HIV programme.
Currently, over 1.8 million Nigerians are living with HIV, according to data from the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).
While Nigeria has made significant progress in scaling up access to treatment, experts say gaps in availability, affordability, and local production capacity continue to threaten the sustainability of treatment programmes.
Pushing Nigeria Towards Bio-Industrialisation
Prof. Mustapha reiterated NBRDA’s focus on building a start-up-driven bioeconomy, supporting biotech-based enterprises that can commercialise local innovations and reduce dependence on imports.
According to the DG, this insulin and HIV drugs production initiative aligns with the federal government’s aspirations to build a knowledge-driven economy.
Prof. Mustapha also urged research institutions, investors, and other stakeholders to support the agency’s efforts in translating research into real-world solutions.
Industry leaders say this call is necessary, and believe that for NBRDA’s initiatives to succeed, sustained collaboration between academia, private investors, and government agencies is critical.
With the global health landscape shifting toward self-reliance and regional production hubs, stakeholders say Nigeria must not miss the moment.
As the country grapples with rising health costs, currency volatility, and import dependency, experts argue that a vibrant biotech ecosystem could provide a strategic economic opportunity and save lives in the process.
Nigeria Joins Other African Nations
While several African countries have made progress in producing antiretroviral (ARV) drugs locally, full-scale insulin production remains largely absent across the continent.
South Africa leads in ARV manufacturing, with Aspen Pharmacare producing and exporting generic HIV treatments widely across Africa. Egypt also manufactures some HIV drugs and has a robust pharmaceutical industry, though its insulin production is limited to packaging and distribution.
Elsewhere, countries like Kenya and Uganda have established partnerships with Indian pharmaceutical firms to formulate or bottle ARVs locally, but they still rely heavily on imports for both insulin and more advanced HIV treatments.
Rwanda, meanwhile, is positioning itself as a future biotech hub, having signed agreements with BioNTech to build an mRNA vaccine facility that could eventually support broader biologic manufacturing.
Talking Points
It is encouraging to see the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) take concrete steps toward local production of insulin and antiretroviral drugs, addressing two of Nigeria’s most pressing public health challenges.
At Techparley, we believe initiatives like this are crucial to repositioning Nigeria’s health sector from an import-reliant model to one driven by innovation, local production, and long-term sustainability.
Equally important is NBRDA’s move to fill the gap in HIV drug availability, especially at a time when international donor funding for antiretroviral programmes is shrinking. Producing ARVs locally is not just a health imperative, it’s a matter of national resilience.
However, translating this vision into results will require strong public-private collaboration, access to capital, and policies that encourage research commercialisation and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
With the right regulatory backing, investment, and ecosystem support, NBRDA’s work could lay the foundation for a thriving indigenous biotech industry and a more self-sufficient healthcare system.
