An Egyptian firm, Utopia Pharmaceuticals, says it plans to establish a drug manufacturing plant in Abia to serve Nigeria and the West African market.
The founder of the company, Mr Kamel Muhamed, disclosed this on Wednesday during a meeting with Gov. Alex Otti of Abia, at Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of the state.
Muhamed said that the company was seeking a partnership with Abia Government to establish the facility as part of its expansion strategy in Africa.
He said that the proposed plant would position Nigeria as a hub for advanced pharmaceutical technology while serving the wider West African sub-region.
According to him, Utopia already operates within the framework of an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Egypt and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on drug registration.
He added that the company had successfully implemented similar manufacturing projects in Tanzania and other African countries and was ready to replicate the model in Abia.
Muhamed also said the company would conduct a pilot presentation of its anti-malaria products in the state.
Responding, Otti welcomed the proposal, describing local manufacturing as critical to the state’s industrialization agenda.
The governor said that his administration was more interested in investments that promote production rather than the distribution of finished products.
He noted that manufacturing would create jobs, stimulate economic activities, reduce poverty and encourage technology transfer.
Otti assured the investors of the state’s full support in establishing the plant and advised them to consider the Ukwa axis as the preferred location because of its abundant natural gas, reliable electricity from Geometric Power and vast land for industrial development.
He also assured the delegation that land acquisition would not be a challenge and directed the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche, to work with the investors to facilitate the project.(NAN).
