As Nigeria confronts dwindling resources to combat malaria, a major public health threat, a few indigenous pharmaceutical companies are striving to keep local treatments accessible for millions. According to the Africa Malaria Progress Report, progress in eliminating malaria is stagnating, highlighting the urgent need for mobilising domestic resources and scaling up integrated and innovative financing.
In countries with the largest burden of malaria, such as Nigeria, the majority have to draw up personal funding to beat the life-threatening disease, particularly for pregnant mothers and children. Africa bears 94 per cent of the global malaria burden, according to the World Health Organisation, and Nigeria accounts for over 25 per cent of all cases worldwide. This disproportionate share has severe consequences domestically: malaria significantly contributes to maternal and child mortality, causing an estimated 11 per cent of maternal deaths, 30 per cent of childhood deaths, and 25 per cent of deaths in children under five each year.
Consequently, Nigeria is a critical priority for malaria control efforts.In response to this challenge, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited is leveraging research and development, innovation and scalability to improve access to affordable and good-quality antimalarials in Nigeria and across Africa. Its efforts are helping to ramp up efficient malaria prevention and treatment on the continent.
Emzor’s journey in combating malaria began four-and-a-half decades ago, with a single product that has since grown into a portfolio of over 20 SKUs, representing all major WHO-recommended antimalarial molecules. The company’s antimalarial products, including Artemether/Lumefantrine (Lokmal), Sulfadoxine/Pyrimethamine (Maldox), Dihydroartemisinin/Piperaquine (Piramal), Artesunate/Amodiaquine (Diasunate), and Chloroquine, are available in various dosage forms such as tablets, suspensions, and dispersible tablets.Its commitment to innovation has also led to several industry firsts. Emzor’s Lokmal DT is the first dispersible Artemether/Lumefantrine combination manufactured in Nigeria, making it easier to administer antimalarial medication to children.
Additionally, Emzor’s Lokmal Combi is the first co-packaged malaria treatment for adults, combining Artermether/Lumefantrine with Paracetamol 500mg. The company’s Piramal TS Combi is the first medicine in Nigeria to combine Dihydroartemisinin/Piperaquine with 1000mg of Paracetamol in one pack.In terms of powering scalability and access, Emzor’s local production of antimalarial drugs has significantly improved access to these life-saving medications.
The company’s state-of-the-art production facilities across five locations and adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) ensure that its products are reliable, consistent, and highly effective in the prevention and treatment of malaria. Emzor’s multimillion-dollar Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) manufacturing complex in Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria, is a significant step towards achieving self-sufficiency in antimalarial production, and the first-of-its-kind on the continent. The 400-metric-tonne-capacity API complex— a WHO/GMP-compliant facility known as Emzor’s Campus for its advanced and multifaceted operations— is West Africa’s leading producer of key active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) such as Artemether, Lumefantrine, Sulfadoxine, and Pyrimethamine.
It plays a critical role in reducing Nigeria’s and Africa’s reliance on imported medicines and foreign exchange, while improving local access to effective malaria treatments. This strategic focus aims to boost local production of high-quality and world-class drugs that are affordable and accessible, bolster self-sufficiency, reduce dependence on imports, conserve foreign exchange, provide employment, develop local capacity and skill acquisition, and contribute to the overall national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.
By manufacturing in Nigeria, the company has reduced dependence on imported medicines, making its products more affordable and accessible to the local population. Emzor’s commitment to scalability has also enabled the company to meet the growing demand for antimalarials and other essential drugs such as antiretrovirals, ensuring that more people have access to effective treatment and good healthcare in Nigeria and across Africa. Emzor’s innovations target the core pillars of malaria control strategy, including affordability, improved compliance, child-friendliness, and treatment efficacy.
The company’s products are designed to be effective, easy to use, and accessible to all segments of the population, particularly vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women.“These innovations not only place Emzor as a leading player within the anti-malaria space, but the strategy also makes its products readily available and affordable, and fosters improved compliance in quality assurance with regard to drugs Nigerians and Africans buy, reducing the menace of fake and substandard drugs. Emzor’s strategy also promotes child-friendliness and treatment efficacy—core pillars in malaria control strategy,” said Kunle Faloye, head of Marketing and Strategy, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited.
Emzor’s contributions to malaria control in Nigeria and Africa have been significant. The company’s products have helped to reduce the burden of malaria, saving countless lives and improving the quality of life for millions of people. By providing high-quality, world-class, affordable and accessible antimalarials, Emzor has continued to play a critical role in supporting national and regional malaria control efforts.
Emeka Okoli, chairman of the Board of Directors of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, noted that the mission to end malaria on the African continent is a passion to which the company is deeply committed, noting that this corporate vision also inspires the company’s commitment to local production of high-quality, world-standard drugs that affordable and accessible to millions of people in Nigeria and across Africa. “With a mission to solve problems, Emzor’s commitment to quality that rivals imported brands has been proven over the decades. Every single of its products is also priced not to compete on being the cheapest, but to reflect the science, safety, and investment behind every tablet and dose.
Hence, it prioritises product reliability and consistency, strict internal controls for purity and potency and community trust through consistent clinical effectiveness,” he added. With malaria remaining a serious health burden on the continent, it is anticipated that Emzor will continue to grow and expand its significant footprint on the anti-malaria advocacy landscape. It is also expected that more corporate entities and non-governmental organisations will join hands with the government toward ensuring a malaria-free continent. Through unwavering commitment to innovation, scalability, and improved access to antimalarials, as Emzor has demonstrated leadership,a more significant impact can be made on malaria control efforts both in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
