The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the commencement of a process that will enhance the indigenisation of vaccine production in Nigeria.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja when he briefed State House correspondents at the end of the Council’s meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The council considered a memorandum from the Ministry of Health today which has to do with the first stage in indigenising vaccine production in Nigeria, the standard programme on Immunisation, not COVID-19 vaccine.
“As you know, the government has a joint venture agreement and formed the company called Bio-Vaccine Nigeria Limited, which is to start producing vaccines domestically.
“Now, they are sourcing for international partners who will join them and give them the technology transfer that they require.
“And after going to various countries, South Africa, Indonesia, they settled with Serum Institute of India, which will now be the technical partner to support them in setting up the vaccine production plant in Nigeria.
“But of course, the Serum Institute of India is the largest vaccine producer in the world and also has vaccines that are approved by World Health Organisation.”
Ehanire disclosed that, with this development, Serum Institute of India will collaborate with Bio Vaccine Nigeria to build their manufacturing plant in Nigeria.
The plant is to be located in Ogun State, with the Nigerian company having 15 per cent of the market share.
“So, who will buy it? Government now has approved 15% of the vaccines that UNICEF normally supplies us for bio vaccine to supply through contract manufacturing with Serum Institute of India.
“With this, Serum Institute of India will now be comfortable enough to come and join Bio Vaccine of Nigeria, in building their manufacturing plant here in Ota, Nigeria.
“That arrangement has now been approved by the Federal Executive Council for Bio Vaccine Nigeria to have 15 per cent of the market share.
“It will be used for contract manufacturing of those vaccines as an initial step over the next few years when the plant in Nigeria starts to work.
“So, that was the approval that the Council gave today,” Ehanire said.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammed Bello who also gave a brief on the outcome of the meeting, said the Council approved N28billion for the provision of roads and other infrastructure in Wasa District on the fringes of the FCT
“I presented a memo for the augmentation of the contract sum for the development of the Wasa affordable district in the Southern borders of the Federal capital city Abuja and the augmentation was in the sum of N28,117,904,027.
“The initial contract for that project was awarded in 2014 at the sum of N56billion.
“But as time went by and due to inflation and some other factors, we had to vary the contract and the price in order to reflect current realities.
“That is the reason why the augmentation request was presented and Council approved that.”
Bello also said that the completion period for the contract was also extended to 42 months.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, told the correspondents that the Council approved N2.044billion for the provision of internal roads and drainage systems at the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board’s Gas hub in Bayelsa.
According to him, the gas hub is meant to encourage the development of countries that will process the Nigerian gas for export as well as promote the use of gas internally.
“Council, today, approved the contract to construct internal roads and bridges in the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board’s Gas hub located in Polaku, Bayelsa State.
“The contract sum is N2.044billion.
“The gas hub is to encourage the development of companies that will process and develop our gas for export and deepen the use of gas internally as well as construct gas cylinders.
“Already there are companies that are in the gas hub.
“So, these drainage systems and roads and entire development of that area is expected to encourage more companies to come into the area in furtherance of our commitment to the decade of gas from 2021 to 2030 as declared by the President,” Sylva said.
