NAFDAC Tasks SKG Pharma on Medicine Export

Mary Nnah 

SKG Pharma Limited, Lagos, a top-tier pharmaceutical company in Sub- Saharan Africa has been charged to take advantage of its rich quality and large product portfolio to explore opportunities in continental and global pharmaceutical markets.

Director-General of National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, during a working visit to SKG Pharma Limited facility in Ikeja, Lagos, said the company has the potential to be a big player in the African and even global pharmaceutical market by the sheer size of its factory, its quality drugs and large product portfolio across several health needs. 

“With what we have seen here today SKG Pharma has the potential to trade its products on the continent and beyond sooner than later. What we need is to work with them to get the WHO pre-qualification,” Prof. Adeyeye said.

According to the NAFDAC boss, as a quality-driven agency, the organisation has attained Maturity Level Three and working on moving to Maturity Level Four which will make it easier for SKG Pharma and other indigenous  Pharmaceutical companies to get easy access to the global market.

Managing Director of SKG Pharma, Dr. Okey Akpa during a brief presentation to the NAFDAC Director General and her team, said the company which started in 1962 as Le Petit and then Wellcome Nigeria Limited has achieved so many firsts in the Pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria: “First Cotrimoxazole and First Acyclovir manufactured in Nigeria as Dr. Akpa explained that SKG Pharma’s Quality Policy which is “to provide customers with innovative pharmaceutical and healthcare products that exceed their expectations by offering real economic values and benefits” is in tandem with NAFDAC’s quality policy. 

Under a very strict quality regime, SKG produces a range of oral liquids, oral solids, and topical products many of which are household names. These include King Tonic, Rulox, Cofex, Novalyn Cough Linctus, and Primpex, among others.

Dr. Akpa said SKG Pharma has over the years invested heavily in Research and Development, factory upgrades with modern equipment, talent management, inclusion and diversity, safety, and environment among other key areas. 

“These investments have enabled us to come up with innovative products and together with the workforce in SKG and our trade partners we can reach millions of consumers with our products in Nigeria and across the west coast”, the SKG Managing Director explained.  

He said SKG will explore the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) to penetrate the African market with its rich product portfolio.