Wisdom Engraced
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May & Baker Nigeria Plc has called on the Federal Government to demonstrate consistency in it’s pooled procurement initiative by promptly paying local drug manufacturers to avoid losses and business collapse. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Ajah made the appeal during the company’s 2025 Walk for Life in Lagos to mark World Hypertension Day.
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Ajah, a member of the government’s pooled procurement committee, commended the initiative aimed at reducing drug costs but warned against delayed payments. “My warning is, as with many other things that the Federal Government has done, there should be consistency,” Ajah said. “It costs money to produce these drugs. When you make us come down on price, it means we’re compromising our profits.”
The company had previously participated in similar government-led schemes but suffered financial setbacks due to non-payment. “Some of the times we’ve done this in the past, we’ve been beaten because our monies were not paid. I’m talking about five years now; the money is still hanging,” Ajah lamented.
He also called on the government to support local manufacturers to reduce dependence on imported drugs. “We need to increase capacity for local companies to take care of our people instead of depending on foreign companies. But if you do not encourage the local companies, it’s not going to work,” he said.
Ajah praised the recent executive order waiving import duties on raw materials for drug production, describing it as a step in the right direction. “One of the things that they have done recently… The executive order on custom duties and all of that for medications, raw materials, and local producers has been waived by the government. It’s fantastic, and it needs to be continued.”
The Walk for Life campaign aims to promote regular health checks among Nigerians, especially those over 40 years of age. Ajah noted that each Walk for Life campaign leads to a reported increase in health checks and early diagnosis. “Anybody above 40 needs to check. Life history, family history—they’re all very important,” he advised.
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Jonathan Nwokpor
