President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for successfully retaining the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status for the regulation of medicines and vaccines in Nigeria.
The global health regulatory body reaffirmed NAFDAC’s standing after a re-benchmarking exercise conducted from May 28 to May 30, 2025, assessing the agency’s performance against internationally recognised regulatory standards.
Nigeria’s Leadership in Global Health Regulation
NAFDAC first attained Maturity Level 3 in 2022, becoming Africa’s first National Regulatory Authority to achieve the milestone for regulating medicines and vaccines in a non-producing capacity. According to WHO policy, periodic reviews are conducted to ensure compliance with global benchmarks.
The latest evaluation followed a formal re-benchmarking in November 2024 and five Institutional Development Plan (IDP) review meetings between February and April 2025 to assess progress on corrective measures.
In its latest assessment, WHO commended NAFDAC for operating “a stable, well-functioning, and integrated regulatory framework” that meets global standards — a success it attributed to the Nigerian Government’s investment in strengthening the health regulatory system.
Tinubu Commends NAFDAC’s Professionalism
President Tinubu praised the management and staff of NAFDAC for their professionalism, consistency, and dedication to safeguarding public health. He noted that the achievement enhances Nigeria’s reputation as a reliable partner in global health security and pandemic preparedness.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda for healthcare transformation, highlighting progress in:
Upgrading over 17,000 primary health centres nationwide.
Improving maternal care and diagnostics in underserved communities.
Training 120,000 frontline health workers.
Doubling national health insurance coverage within three years.
He stressed that promoting local production of healthcare products remains a key priority.
Commitment to Higher Standards
President Tinubu pledged that Nigeria will continue working with development partners, donor agencies, and investors to strengthen the pharmaceutical sector and expand local manufacturing capacity.
He assured that the Federal Government will fully support NAFDAC in its journey towards achieving WHO’s Maturity Level 4 — the highest global standard in regulatory excellence.
