NAFDAC and WHO Maturity Level 3 status confirms Nigeria’s commitment to global health security and enhanced medicine regulation

NAFDAC and WHO Maturity Level 3 status has once again affirmed Nigeria’s strong position in regulating medicines and vaccines.

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This remarkable achievement follows the World Health Organisation’s recent re-benchmarking exercise conducted in May 2025, where Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) retained its coveted rating.

NAFDAC first reached this milestone in 2022, making it the first national regulatory authority in Africa to attain WHO’s Maturity Level 3 for non-producing countries.

The WHO praised NAFDAC for maintaining a stable, well-functioning, and integrated regulatory system that meets international standards.

President Bola Tinubu warmly congratulated NAFDAC’s management and staff, highlighting their professionalism and consistency.

He described the retention of the WHO Maturity Level 3 as a significant boost to Nigeria’s credibility in global health security and pandemic preparedness.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment, President Tinubu emphasized ongoing health sector reforms, including upgrading over 17,000 primary healthcare centers nationwide and training 120,000 frontline health workers.

He also pledged to double national health insurance coverage within three years, aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda to transform Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Furthermore, the President assured Nigerians that his government will continue collaborating with credible partners and development agencies to strengthen the pharmaceutical sector, attract investment, and expand local manufacturing capacity.

NAFDAC’s journey does not stop here. The administration remains focused on supporting the agency’s pursuit of WHO’s highest regulatory standard—Maturity Level 4—signaling a future of even greater achievements for Nigeria’s healthcare regulation.

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This milestone confirms Nigeria’s dedication to safeguarding public health with world-class oversight and regulatory excellence.