40 Indian Pharma Firms To Feature In Nigerian Exhibition.

Abuja: More than 40 pharmaceutical firms from India are expected to participate in a two-day exhibition in Nigeria later this month.

The event, scheduled on March 23 and 24, called 'Brand India' focuses on the pharma sector and will take the shape of "a business to business exhibition promoting JV investment in pharmaceutical manufacture, and increased distributorship of finished preparations," Bryan Pearson, an organiser and MD of FSG Communications Ltd in London said.

The general secretary of Indian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers In Nigeria (IPMN) Dr Prasenjit Banerji said bringing in new Indian pharmaceutical companies to the African nation would lead to product improvement and high generation of employment.

"Some would want to come and explore the possibility of exportation while other may seek to set up manufacturing companies here."

In the past a controversy had been raised in Nigeria over fake drugs, which are said to be mass-produced in India. But Banerji explained that such drugs were discovered to have been manufactured in China, whereas they carried false Indian labels.

He said historically India is good in pharma sector and the exhibition would lead to sharing of technology and human resources.

Nigeria enjoys a huge import of pharma products from India and many Indian companies already exist here.

During a visit to India in 2009, the director general of the Nigeria?s drug regulator -- National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) -- Paul Orhii floated the idea of having regulated retail outlets all over the country in partnership with India to counter the unregulated medicine stores.

He led a team of five officials from his agency and five business men to an Indo-Africa Pharma business meeting which was held in Hyderabad. The meeting, which lasted for three days, dwelt on the quality of drugs imported into Nigeria.

Source : zeenews.com