Egyptian pharmaceutical firm to build major manufacturing plant in Abia

Egyptian firm Utopia Pharmaceuticals intends to establish a significant drug manufacturing plant in Nigeria's Abia State, targeting both the Nigerian and broader West African markets. The company's founder, Kamel Muhamed, met with Governor Alex Otti in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, to discuss the expansion strategy.

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The proposed plant would position Nigeria as a hub for advanced pharmaceutical technology while serving the wider West African sub-region.

Muhamed stated that the proposed plant would position Nigeria as a center for advanced pharmaceutical technology within the West African sub-region. Utopia Pharmaceuticals already operates under an existing Memorandum of Understanding between Egypt and Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for drug registration. The company has successfully implemented similar manufacturing projects in Tanzania and other African nations, and aims to replicate this model in Abia.

As part of its pilot program, the company will also conduct a presentation of its anti-malaria products within the state. Governor Otti expressed strong support for the proposal, highlighting local manufacturing as crucial to Abia's industrialization efforts. His administration prioritizes investments that foster production over the distribution of finished goods.

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local manufacturing as critical to the state’s industrialisation agenda.

Otti emphasized that such manufacturing initiatives are vital for creating jobs, stimulating economic activity, reducing poverty, and encouraging technology transfer. He assured the investors of the state's full support and recommended the Ukwa axis as a preferred location due to its abundant natural gas resources, reliable electricity from Geometric Power, and ample land for industrial development. The governor also directed the Commissioner for Health, Enoch Uche, to collaborate with the investors to facilitate the project, ensuring that land acquisition would not be a hurdle.

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his administration was more interested in investments that promote production rather than the distribution of finished products.