Eshiorameh Sebastian in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for retaining the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status for medicines and vaccines regulation, declaring that Nigeria is on track to achieve the highest global benchmark, ML4.
The President’s message followed the successful re-benchmarking exercise conducted by WHO from May 28 to May 30, 2025, which confirmed that NAFDAC has “successfully maintained a regulatory system that operates as a stable, well-functioning, and integrated framework for regulating medicines and vaccines (non-producing).”
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga on Monday, President Tinubu described the achievement as a testament to “the professionalism, consistency, and dedication of NAFDAC’s management and staff in safeguarding public health.”
He noted that the agency’s sustained compliance with WHO standards strengthens Nigeria’s reputation as “a reliable partner in global health security and pandemic preparedness.”
NAFDAC first attained ML3 status in 2022, becoming the first African National Regulatory Authority to achieve this milestone.
The latest evaluation followed a formal re-benchmarking in November 2024 and five Institutional Development Plan (IDP) review meetings between February and April 2025.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s “unwavering commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s capacity to ensure the safety, quality, and efficacy of medicines and vaccines in line with international best practices.”
He emphasised that this milestone aligns with his Renewed Hope Agenda for healthcare transformation, including ongoing efforts to upgrade over 17,000 primary health centers, improve maternal care, train 120,000 frontline health workers, and double national health insurance coverage.
The President also highlighted NAFDAC’s role in advancing local pharmaceutical production, stating that his government will “continue collaborating with credible partners, development agencies, and donor organizations to promote the pharmaceutical sector, attract investment, and expand local manufacturing capacity.”
Assuring continued support for NAFDAC’s quest for WHO Maturity Level 4 (ML4)—the highest global regulatory standard—President Tinubu declared: “This achievement is not the final destination. We will keep investing in NAFDAC’s capacity to ensure Nigeria attains even greater heights in medicines regulation.”
The WHO’s recognition underscores Nigeria’s progress in health governance, with the global body attributing NAFDAC’s success to “investment by the Government of Nigeria in strengthening the regulatory system.” As the country advances toward ML4, this milestone reinforces Nigeria’s leadership in Africa’s health sector and its commitment to global best practices.
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