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The Federal Government, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have signed a new agreement
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New €6.3m project to strengthen Nigeria’s health manufacturing capacity.
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EU, Spain, and UNICEF back 24-month initiative to drive self-sufficiency.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, in partnership with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has signed a landmark agreement to boost local manufacturing of essential health, immunisation, and nutrition commodities.
The initiative, titled Enabling Local Manufacturing of Health, Immunisation and Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria (ELM-N), forms part of the EU’s Global Gateway Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies (MAV+) Initiative. It is designed to improve supply chain systems, ensure access to safe and affordable health products, and make Nigeria more self-reliant in health production.
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The €6.3 million project — co-funded by the EU (€5.5m) and Spain (€800,000) — will run for 24 months. It targets reduction in import dependence, regulatory strengthening, and innovation growth within Nigeria’s pharmaceutical and nutrition industries.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, hailed the agreement as a milestone in Nigeria’s collaboration with the EU.
“We are glad to be signing this agreement, and we value the European Union’s partnership with Nigeria through initiatives such as the EU Global Gateway Investment Package,” he said.
Bagudu assured that the federal government remains committed to aligning investments with national policy priorities and measurable development outcomes.
“This partnership will expand opportunities for technology transfer, facility financing, and local production, advancing Nigeria’s vision to become a regional hub for health innovation,” he added.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Gautier Mignot, said the partnership reflects the EU’s shift from aid dependency to sustainable investment cooperation.
“More than anything, we want to support the paradigm shift taking place in Nigeria and West Africa — moving from aid to peer-to-peer collaboration and from standalone projects to a dynamic investment strategy,” Mignot stated.
Also speaking, Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Félix Costales Artieda, said Spain’s contribution would help ensure equitable access to locally produced health commodities across the ECOWAS region.
“This event marks an important step in our joint effort to harness Nigeria’s healthcare value chain and strengthen health security,” he said.
UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, represented by UNICEF Representative Wafaa Abdelate, said the project will enhance healthcare access and economic resilience.
“In Nigeria, we have over two million zero-dose children and a high maternal mortality rate. This underscores the urgency of ensuring that investments and partnerships translate into affordable, safe, and timely access to vaccines, medicines, and nutrition products,” Abdelate said.
She reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting government-led initiatives that build a resilient, inclusive health system for all Nigerians.
