The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) says the newly approved Harvestfield Free Trade Zone (FTZ), will significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported healthcare supplies.
The Managing Director of NEPZA, Dr Olufemi Ogunyemi, said this while presenting the Declaration of Licence and Operation Licence to the facilitators of the zone in Abuja.
Ogunyemi urged medical investors to leverage the country’s free trade zones to scale up domestic production of medical products and supplies.
According to him, Harvestfield FTZ is strategic and focused on addressing key deficits in the health sector.
“This opens up a new opportunity for the country to become an exporter of health products,” he said.
He said that the authority remained committed to promoting trade and investment facilitation that drove economic growth.
He further expressed NEPZA’s commitment to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at transforming Nigeria into an export-oriented economy.
Also speaking, Dr Abdu Mukthar from the Ministry of Health, described the zone as an outcome of the Presidential Executive Order on Local Manufacturing of Healthcare Products signed in 2024 by Tinubu.
Mukthar, National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative to Unlock Healthcare Value Chains (PVAC), said that Vestergaard had partnered with the Nigerian firm Harvestfield.
He said through their joint venture, SNG Health, the partners would utilise the zone to produce 10 million dual-insecticide nets annually.
He said that the project, located in Ogun State, would create about 600 jobs and had attracted an investment of 30 million dollars, alongside additional commitments from smaller partners.
“The new facility is expected to start production in April and will supply 30 per cent of Nigeria’s insecticide net demand during the first phase.
“Currently, Nigeria accounts for 27 per cent of the global malaria burden and 30 per cent of all malaria deaths each year,” Mukthar said.
He expressed optimism that the project would strengthen local capacity, reduce import dependence and enhance Nigeria’s position in the global healthcare value chain.
