JIGAWA BEGINS PLAN TO TRANSFORM JIPHARMA INTO DRUG MANUFACTURING FIRM

The Jigawa State Government has commenced plans to transform the Jigawa State Pharmaceutical Company, JIPHARMA, from its current retail operations into a full-fledged pharmaceutical manufacturing company. Governor Umar Namadi announced the plan while inaugurating the newly constituted Board of Directors of the company, charging its members to provide the expertise and strategic leadership required to deliver the new mandate.

Namadi said the proposed transformation is aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery in the state while creating employment opportunities and positioning Jigawa to benefit from the expanding pharmaceutical market across Nigeria and Africa. The governor described the task before the new board as significant, stressing that the government expects JIPHARMA to move beyond the distribution and retail of medicines into actual production.

The governor also disclosed that several investors had already submitted proposals to participate in the company through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement. He tasked the new board with engaging prospective investors and ensuring that any agreement reached protects the interests of Jigawa State and delivers sustainable benefits to its people. According to him, the government deliberately selected professionals with relevant experience, strong records and integrity because of the importance attached to the company’s new direction.

The Chairman of the JIPHARMA Board, Pharm. Hashim Ubale Yusufu, expressed appreciation for the confidence placed in the board and pledged to pursue the objectives set by the government. He said the board would focus on transitioning the company into pharmaceutical manufacturing while exploring opportunities in research and development, supported by strategic planning, good corporate governance and ethical business practices.

Yusufu noted that Africa’s pharmaceutical sector presents a major opportunity because local manufacturers currently meet less than 20 per cent of the continent’s medicine requirements. He said Jigawa could take advantage of the gap by developing local production capacity, improving access to quality medicines, creating jobs and contributing to economic growth. The planned JIPHARMA transformation therefore forms part of broader efforts to strengthen domestic pharmaceutical production and reduce dependence on imported medicines.