Abuja — President Umar Musa Yar'Adua has stated that for Nigeria to attain self sufficiency in drug production, generate employment and achieve vision 20-2020, indigenous pharmaceutical firms must expand their manufacturing capacity.

The President who was speaking through the Acting Minister of Health, Dr. Hassan Lawal at the Pharma West Africa 2008 - 1st International Pharmaceutical Exhibition and Conference - held in Abuja on Tuesday March 3rd, said indigenous drug manufacturers must not only ensure that 70 percent of the country's drug needs were met locally but that the drugs so produced met international standards.

He noted that increased participation of Nigerian companies in the pharmaceutical sector hitherto dominated by multinationals was a positive development and a clear indication of the country's drive towards industrialisation adding that, Federal Government's policy of placing essential drugs on the Import Prohibition List was to discourage importation of essential drugs, curtail importation of substandard drugs and stimulate local production in the sector.