By Our Reporter
Nigeria’s drive to strengthen local healthcare manufacturing has received a major boost, as the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) earned international praise from a delegation of global health experts during a visit to its biotechnology factory in Abuja.
The delegation, made up of about 85 health professionals participating in the Harvard University-led Science of Defeating Malaria programme, toured the NASENI-TROMENT Biotechnologies Factory and described the facility as a significant milestone in Africa’s fight against malaria and other infectious diseases.
Led by Professor Dyann F. Wirth of Harvard University, the visitors commended the factory’s capacity to produce essential diagnostic kits locally, reducing dependence on imported medical supplies.
Speaking at a dinner held at the end of the visit, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the recognition validates the vision behind the project, which was established just 18 months ago to boost Nigeria’s healthcare self-reliance.
According to Halilu, the agency remains committed to expanding local production of medical diagnostic technologies and strengthening the country’s healthcare system through innovation.
The facility, operating under the N-CheckUP brand, has the capacity to produce up to 600 million diagnostic kits annually. This output is expected to meet about 80 percent of Nigeria’s diagnostic testing needs while also creating opportunities for exports to other African countries and international markets.
Its products include rapid diagnostic tests and in-vitro diagnostic kits for diseases such as malaria, HIV, hepatitis B and C, typhoid, syphilis, COVID-19, as well as pregnancy and blood glucose tests.
Halilu noted that the project aligns with NASENI’s broader mission of using science, technology and innovation to address national challenges, create jobs and strengthen industrial development.
He also expressed appreciation to Professor Wirth and the Harvard delegation for acknowledging Nigeria’s progress in healthcare manufacturing, adding that NASENI is determined to position the country as a leading healthcare production hub in Africa.
The Science of Defeating Malaria programme, held in Abuja from June 7 to 13, brought together scientists, policymakers and public health experts from across the world to explore new strategies for malaria elimination and stronger global health systems.
