The federal government on Thursday signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) with Biovaccine Nigeria Ltd (BVNL) to begin local production of vaccines and enable Nigeria achieve self-reliance in vaccine production.
The minister of health, Osagie Ehanire who signed the MoU on behalf of the federal government in Abuja, said the Covid-19 pandemic brought the attention of the country to the need for domestic production capabilities of vaccines, among other commodities, as well as for self sufficiency in other endeavours.
He said the BVNL is charged with the mandate to attract technology, build and develop capacity for research and development and local manufacturing of vaccines.
The minister also informed that BVNL has been working with the federal government through the federal ministry of health and NPHCDA to ensure that the hitherto moribund Federal Vaccine Manufacturing Laboratory in Lagos is resuscitated for the production of safe and affordable vaccines for Nigeria and prospectivelyfor Africa.
Ehanire said efforts are being made to support home grown manufacturing of healthcare commodities.
According to him, the MOU when signed, will serve as an implementation framework for guaranteeing market access, which is conditional for transfer of technology to indegenous vaccine manufacturers.
He also informed that the MoU has undergone various appraisals and amendments by the Legal unit of the Federal Ministry of Health as well as the Federal Ministry of Justice, before arriving at the final draft that we have before us today.
“I am optimistic that with the signing of the MoU, Biovaccine Nigeria Limited can now start work fully in the process of vaccine production in Nigeria.
“It is therefore my pleasure to sign this MOU on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, which is a milestone in our national desire for self sufficiency”, he said.
The minister also signed a Joint Venture with May & Baker Nigeria Ltd. The Joint venture was signed on the 25th of July, 2017 with Federal Government having 49% shareholding being the value of the land and real estate assets of former Federal Vaccine Production Laboratory (FVPL) while May& Baker owns 51%.
