Forces that will shape registration of local products by NAFDAC in 2019

A new report from the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics reveals that 11,240 products under the local and imported categories were registered by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in 2017.

The report says the country’s drug control and administration agency received 4,296 applications for new products registration and presentation of 6,999 products for registration approval. According to the report “11,406 products were granted registration; 166 products registration were rejected and Zero number was withdrawn while fake and substandard products worth N3, 000,000,000 were impounded during the year.”

“Data on imported products registered in the year under review reflected that 2,910 applications were received for new products registration while 2,812 products were registered. Similarly, 8428 locally made products were registered.”

The report further indicates that human drugs were mostly registered under the imported product category while package water had highest number of products under the local product category. Meanwhile, Infoprations’ analysis indicates that Nigeria’s 2017 global ranks on production, innovation and regulation did not enhance the registration of imported products. The ranks had better impact on the registration of locally made products, analysis suggests.

Analysis shows that production process sophistication, control of international distribution, capacity for innovation, and innovation and sophistication factors increased registration of imported products by 1.2% while local products earned 66.8% increase.

Further analysis reveals that these factors would work against local manufacturers by 42.6% in 2019 based on 2018’s Global Competitiveness Index ranking of the factors. For 2018, Nigeria’s ranks on production process sophistication, control of international distribution and capacity for innovation were high, signifying poor status. The country only has better ranking on innovation and sophistication indicator.

These insights indicate that manufacturers need to develop the right strategies that would help in having hitch-free registration with the NAFDAC. This is imperative because the agency has stringent rules and regulations on registration, indicating her readiness to ensure qualitative food and drugs consumption in the country.