Muhammad Balarabe

PVAC Meets with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria to Advance the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Sector. Abuja, Nigeria — 7 May 2026 — PVAC Strengthens Strategic Collaboration with Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) (@PCN_Registry) to Advance Pharmaceutical Regulation and Local Compounding Practice. This meeting strengthened institutional engagement and collaboration between PVAC and PCN. PVAC declared its support for the reactivation of pharmaceutical compounding practice in Nigeria and PCN's plans for the electronic pharmaceutical regulatory system to improve regulatory efficiency and oversight. The meeting also provided an opportunity to congratulate the Registrar on his reappointment for a second term, in recognition of his exemplary leadership and contributions to advancing pharmacy regulation in Nigeria. PVAC and PCN focal points will advance discussions on attaining the priorities laid out by PCN. #PVAC #LocalManufacturing #Pharmacy #Nigeria

PRAYER TIMES NIGERIA ( PRAYER TIMES APP) BY SIMWAL JIBRIL We are proud to announce the launch of Nigeria’s first indigenous prayer app based on the Maliki school of thought — built specifically for Muslims across the country. Designed with precision and authenticity, this app provides accurate prayer times for all the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria, calculated according to the Maliki fiqh. Whether you are in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, or any remote town, you can rely on correct timings tailored to your exact location. Even without internet access, the app continues to function seamlessly with its offline prayer time calculation feature, ensuring you never miss your salah wherever you are. With smart location detection, it automatically identifies your position and delivers precise prayer times instantly. Importantly, the Hijri date in the app is not fixed. It is designed to be adjustable to align with the officially declared date following the sighting of the new crescent and the announcement of the Sultan, ensuring conformity with recognized religious authority in Nigeria. This milestone would not have been possible without the expertise and dedication of Orygin Solutions @oryginOS , who partnered in developing and bringing this vision to life. Their technical excellence and commitment to innovation helped make this app a reality. This is more than just a prayer time app — it is a locally built solution for Nigerian Muslims, rooted in our jurisprudential tradition and powered by reliable technology. Download now on iOS and Android using the links below and stay connected to your prayers, anytime, anywhere. IOS link 👇 apps.apple.com/ng/app/prayer-… Android link 👇 play.google.com/store/apps/det…

PVAC facilitates NEPZA issuance of Free Trade Zone Licence to Harvestfield Industries Abuja, Nigeria— February 16, 2026– The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (@officialNEPZA), with support from the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (@PVAC_NG), has issued a Free Trade Zone Licence to Harvestfield Industries Limited, enabling the establishment of the Harvestfield Free Trade Zone to support industrial investments in healthcare manufacturing and related sectors. The licsence issuance was witnessed by the Managing Director/CEO of NEPZA,Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, the National Coordinator of PVAC, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, and the Managing Director/CEO of Harvestfield Industries Limited, Mr. Martins Awofisayo. The project aligns with the Federal Government’s Nigeria First policy and the Presidential Executive Order on the Local Manufacturing of Healthcare Products, reinforcing national efforts to strengthen health security, expand local production, and reduce import dependence. A flagship project within the Free Trade Zone is the dual insecticide-treated net manufacturing facility by SNG Health — a joint venture between Harvestfield and Vestergaard (@vestergaard). Supported by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, CON (@muhammadpate) and coordinated by PVAC, the facility is a significant milestone towards the fight against malaria. The Harvestfield Free Trade Zone shall support job creation, strengthen domestic supply chains, and catalyse further investments in pharmaceuticals and other priority healthcare products, contributing to Nigeria’s broader industrialisation and export-growth objectives.

Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator, Presidential initiative for unlocking the healthcare value chain, speaks on state of healthcare in Nigeria and highlights its challenges. #PoliticsToday

Official Launch of the Empower Academy Nigeria The Hon. Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has officially launched the Empower Academy Nigeria on Wednesday, 4th February, 2026. The Academy is the first of its kind in Nigeria developed through strategic partnership between PVAC and Empower School of Health. It is a major milestone in addressing the skills gap in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. Phase 1 of the Academy which is a virtual learning platform is fully active with 40 certificate courses in GMP, supply chain, and other manufacturing skill sets. The PVAC National Coordinator, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar has announced that through strategic partnerships, PVAC will offer scholarships to Nigerians to access the courses free over the next two (2) years. The Hon. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare has directed that slots be reserved for the enrollment of the current and incoming cohort of the National Health Fellows. This reinforces our collective commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare workforce through coordination with sector-wide initiatives. Watch this space for more information and guide to accessing the virtual learning platform.

PVAC, NIPRD, SPARK Global Train African Scientists to Turn Research into Impact Abuja, Nigeria — February 2-6, 2026 — At the SPARK Africa Translational Research Bootcamp and Conference in Abuja, PVAC (@PVAC_NG) joined NIPRD (@NIPRD2) and SPARK Global (@SPARK_Stanford) to train African scientists to move discoveries from the laboratory into real-world health solutions. Over 60 researchers from across Nigeria and the continent have gathered to deepen skills in product development, clinical trials, intellectual property, commercialization, and partnership building—strengthening the pipeline between science, industry, and public health impact. As PVAC’s National Coordinator, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar emphasized: “For Nigeria and Africa to lead in life-sciences innovation, our research must be impactful, relevant, and commercially viable. Collaboration across institutions and borders is essential if we are to translate discovery into products that strengthen our health security and industrial capacity.” Throughout the week, discussions will reinforce a shared imperative: translational research is what allows African intellect to shape global health outcomes—and African scientists must increasingly define their own research agendas, building innovations rooted in local realities and scaled for continental and global markets. From bench to bedside, Africa is building its future in health.

In line with the mandate of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) to boost local manufacturing and build a sustainable quality healthcare workforce, PVAC has partnered with Empower School of Health to establish Empower Academy Nigeria - a national platform dedicated to developing Nigeria’s healthcare and pharmaceutical workforce. Rolling out in phases, Phase One introduces a fully digital learning platform. This platform represents a critical step toward building a skilled, future-ready workforce that will drive innovation, resilience, and growth across Nigeria’s healthcare and pharmaceutical value chain. JOIN US, in person or virtual, as we unveil this major milestone. Physical Attendance DATE: Wednesday, 4th February 2026 TIME: 2:00PM prompt (WAT) VENUE: Transcorp Hilton, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria. Virtual Attendance Zoom Meeting: us02web.zoom.us/j/86500571875?… Meeting ID: 865 0057 1875 Passcode: 696197

23rd October, 2025 PVAC HQ PVAC team held a meeting with Director Nutrition and other representatives from @Fmohnigeria, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, and University of Abuja. We had discussion on key issues affecting nutrition and nutritional commodities in the manufacturing sector including substandard laboratories, limited capacity, and poor-quality premixes. PVAC reaffirmed it’s commitment to supporting local manufacturers and facilitating multi-stakeholder roundtable discussions to foster collaboration and drive sustainable solutions that strengthen local production of nutritional commodities such as Tom Brown, Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), Multiple micronutrient supplement (MMS).

@DrMooh_ It will happen. ISA.😅

@MR_Balarabe But I like “unlocked” 🤣

“Unlocking” I no longer like that word.

I want look good for myself 😅. Let’s do this . RT for me dan Allah.

@MTNNG @NgComCommission DM'd you, Maurice.

@MR_Balarabe @NgComCommission Y'ello! @MR_Balarabe. You sound dissatisfied about something regarding your data, and we regret any inconvenience experienced. Can you help us with the details of the challenge so we can understand the issue better and assist? We humbly await your response. Thank you. ~Maurice

Dear @NgComCommission, @MTNNG is carrying out daylight robbery of data. Are we going to keep pretending that this is okay?

Empower School of Health is proud to support the strengthening of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical regulatory system in collaboration with NAFDAC. This project aims to enhance the capacity of NAFDAC staff through: 🔹 Customized training on drug safety, compliance, and inspection 🔹 Development of digital regulatory tools 🔹 Ongoing support from global and local experts Together, we’re building a future-ready, efficient regulatory system to protect public health and ensure medicine safety in Nigeria. #EmpoweringMillions #RegulatoryExcellence #PublicHealth #CapacityBuilding #EmpowerImpact #NigeriaHealth #NAFDAC

𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐑. 𝐀𝐘𝐎𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐉𝐀 𝐀𝐒 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐁𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐍𝐕𝐎𝐘 𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 As part of Nigeria’s preparations to host the 5th Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (#AMR) in Abuja in June 2026, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Ayoade Alakija @yodifiji, as Ministerial Global Envoy on AMR. Dr. Alakija brings a unique combination of global insight, technical depth, and strategic reach to this role. As Board Chair of FIND @FINDdx, a WHO-designated partner for diagnostics, and Special Envoy to the Access to #COVID-19 Tools Accelerator under the leadership of Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @DrTedros at the World Health Organization @WHO, she has consistently championed equitable access to the tools that save lives—especially for populations often left behind in global health responses. Her appointment comes at a critical time. Antimicrobial resistance is projected to cause over 10 million deaths annually by 2050, with Africa already facing a disproportionate burden. Limited access to timely diagnostics and medicines continues to drive resistance, compounding health inequities. As Ministerial Global Envoy, Dr. Alakija will support the work of the Ministerial Advisory Committee, strengthen domestic and global engagement, and ensure that One Health integration and diagnostic equity remain central to the AMR response. Her mandate includes high-level advocacy, technical engagement, and partner coordination—building on her previous leadership with the African Union’s Vaccine Delivery Alliance (AVDA), the #G7 Impact Investment Initiative on Global Health, and her extensive experience in pandemic preparedness and emergency response. This appointment aligns fully with the objectives of the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (#NHSRII) and the broader Renewed Hope Agenda of HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT, which prioritises integrated, multisectoral, and institutionally coordinated approaches to complex health challenges, including AMR. Nigeria remains committed to delivering a technically sound, inclusive, and impactful AMR conference in 2026, building on the Jeddah Commitments and working closely with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, and our partners across the Quadripartite—@WHO, @FAO, @WOAH, and @UNEP. We thank Dr. Alakija for accepting this responsibility and look forward to her contributions in advancing Nigeria’s leadership and shaping outcomes that support global and regional progress on AMR. #AMR #Nigeria2026 #OneHealth #Diagnostics #NHSRII #RenewedHopeAgenda #GlobalHealth #FIND #WHO #HealthEquity

@tana_chikaura Way to go, Tana!

I submitted my 2nd year report last week 🎉🎉🎉. If there is one thing I will do - it’s celebrate my small wins in this PhD journey. I am officially halfway through my PhD which is crazy 🤯🤯 (in a good way). #RoadtoDrTana

PVAC Hosts Inaugural Meeting to Enhance Clinical Trial Capacity through Community of Practice Abuja, Nigeria — June 26, 2025 — The Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (@PVAC_NG) convened the inaugural meeting of the Core Community of Practice (CoP) for Clinical Trial Capability Enhancement, bringing together key government, regulatory, academic, and implementation stakeholders to establish a shared agenda for strengthening Nigeria’s clinical research infrastructure and coordination. Attendees included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health’s Food and Drug Services (FDS) Department (@Fmohnigeria), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (@NafdacAgency), the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (@IHVNigeria), the Kano Independent Research Center Trust (@kirct2022), Xcene Research (@xceneresearch), Desire Line, and Purpose Africa . The meeting focused on defining the Community’s purpose, setting goals and indicators, and outlining coordination mechanisms to support joint action. Participants reviewed the scope of the initiative and agreed on next steps toward finalizing the Community’s governance structure and workplan. The Core CoP is expected to serve as a practical coordination platform for aligning investment, expertise, and regulatory processes in support of Nigeria’s evolving clinical trials landscape. Its work will contribute to improving trial readiness, fostering collaboration across sectors, and positioning Nigeria to engage more effectively in regional and global research partnerships.

PVAC & NASENI-Troment Showcase Nigeria’s Healthcare Manufacturing Potential During Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Abuja, Nigeria — June 23, 2025 — As part of the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM), the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) led a high-level field visit to NASENI-Troment (@NASENIHQ), a leading Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) manufacturing facility in Nigeria. The visit underscored Nigeria’s growing manufacturing capabilities, skilled workforce, and PVAC-supported projects that are expanding local pharmaceutical and diagnostics production capacity. The SDM aims to align Brazilian technical expertise and capital with Nigerian policy incentives, manufacturing capabilities, and coordinated procurement approaches. This integrated strategy is designed to catalyse technology transfer, foster co-investment structures and joint ventures, and ultimately strengthen supply-chain resilience, reduce healthcare costs, and advance Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria and across the ECOWAS region. Also in attendance were representatives from the Office of the Vice President, the Federal Ministry of Health (@Fmohnigeria), the National AIDS and STD Control Program (@nascpfmoh), and Brazil’s FIOCRUZ (@fiocruz), reflecting the collaborative effort to build a sustainable, innovation-driven health ecosystem. As both nations look ahead, this partnership signals a shared vision for a healthier, more self-reliant Africa—powered by collaboration, local capacity, and South-South solidarity. The foundations laid today are paving the way for Nigeria and Brazil to lead together in global health manufacturing and inclusive development.

tvet.education.gov.ng Federal Ministry of Education @tvetinitiative TVET Initiative Unlock your future with skills that matter.