Supplying Medicines and Supplements to Nigeria

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and one of the continent's largest markets for imported medicines. Its regulator, NAFDAC, operates at WHO maturity level 3, and its rules are detailed and enforced.

Two policies shape everything: a 'ceiling list' of products that NAFDAC will not register for import because they are made locally, and the '5+5' policy that pushes importers of locally makeable products towards local manufacture. Check both before you invest in a registration.

Nigeria at a glance

How to supply medicines to Nigeria

1. Check the lists first. NAFDAC does not accept new applications for products on the federal import prohibition list, its ceiling list of locally made products, or banned formulations.
2. Appoint your Nigerian applicant. A Nigerian importer or agent applies, with a notarised power of attorney from the manufacturer.
3. Prepare the dossier. A CTD dossier with bioequivalence data, a CoPP, and a GMP certificate authenticated by the Nigerian embassy or high commission in the country of manufacture.
4. Plant inspection and registration. Expect NAFDAC to inspect the plant, usually at your cost. Registration lasts five years.

Public supply is split between federal and state programmes, and donors buy for their own disease programmes. We supply tender and programme buyers through our government tender service. See named-patient and special import and government tender supply.

Supplements

NAFDAC registers dietary supplements as well as medicines, so supplements also need a Nigerian applicant and registration before sale. We help brands get supplements made under their own label by GMP-certified contract manufacturers: see nutraceutical private label.

What people in Nigeria search for

Semrush data from October 2026 shows that Nigerians search most for vitamin C and vitamin E (about 14,800 searches a month each), vitamin D, collagen, probiotics and ashwagandha. Among medicines, allergy treatments, antifungals and antibiotics lead.

Nigerians search in English. Besides vitamins C, E and D, collagen and probiotics, they type “magnesium” (about 9,900 a month), and “collagen supplements”, “vitamin b12” and “protein” (8,100 each) (Semrush, October 2026). For medicines they use generic names such as “ciprofloxacin” and “azithromycin” (9,480 each), “omeprazole” (8,660), “amoxicillin” (8,600) and “pregabalin” (8,520).

How importers and distributors in Nigeria search

Trade buyers often add a city, as in “wholesale pharmacy in abuja” (about 110 a month) and “wholesale pharmacy in lagos” (40), and phrases such as “protein suppliers” and “contract manufacturing organisation” also appear (Semrush, October 2026).

Originator brands searched by name include Augmentin (amoxicillin and clavulanic acid), Flagyl (metronidazole), Primolut N (norethisterone), Daflon (diosmin and hesperidin), Piriton (chlorphenamine) and Ventolin (salbutamol). Brand names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify the medicine.

Supplements we can help you make

The most searched medicines include loratadine (about 30,300 searches a month), fluconazole, doxycycline, ceftriaxone, prednisolone and azithromycin.

Documents to ask your supplier for

• A Certificate of a Pharmaceutical Product (CoPP) in WHO format.
• The plant's GMP evidence, such as a WHO-GMP, EU-GMP or PIC/S certificate, plus any inspection by your regulator.
• The registration dossier (CTD or ACTD), with bioequivalence data for generics where required.
• Stability data for hot climates.
• A Certificate of Analysis for every batch.

Not sure a supplier is genuine? Read how to verify a pharmaceutical supplier. For the neighbouring markets, see our Sub-Saharan Africa import guide.

Frequently asked questions