.. Set for 4th Thematic General Assembly in Lagos from 6th to 8th October
The Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Distributors Association of Nigeria (PWDAN) has stressed the need for
every stage of the drug supply chain, from manufacturing and importation to warehousing, transportation, wholesale distribution, and dispensing to be secure, traceable, and accountable.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos Tuesday on preparations for the 4th Thematic General Assembly of the African Pharmaceutical Distribution Association (APDA) in Lagos scheduled from 6th to 8th October 2026, Mr Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, Chairman PWDAN who was flanked by other members of the association pointed out that across the continent, concerns continue to grow over the circulation of falsified medicines, substandard pharmaceutical products.
Mr. Omaruaye who is a Pharmacist noted that the concerns also include the increasingly counterfeit and unsafe food products.
He stated that the theme of the conference: Advancing Pharmaceutical Distribution in Africa: Building Secure Supply Chains Against Falsified Medicines is both timely and urgent.
He emphasised that their goal is to move Africa from fragmented supply chains toward systems that are more resilient, transparent, technology-enabled, and patient-centred.
He said the body will focus on key priorities including: Strengthening pharmaceutical supply chain security, Improving medicine traceability and product authentication, leveraging technology to detect and prevent counterfeit products promoting good fistribution Practices (GDP).
Others also include building capacity among supply chain professionals, strengthening collaboration between regulators and industry, supporting regional regulatory harmonization and expanding access to quality-assured medicines across Africa.
He stated further that these are not merely regulatory or commercial issues, but public health issues, economic issues, and ultimately issues of human lives and societal trust.
He noted that recent investigations and enforcement actions have exposed the scale of the challenge.
Omaruaye maintained that several major commercial centres across Nigeria and the rest of Africa have been identified as significant hotspots for the circulation and redistribution of counterfeit medicines.
He said the Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Distributors Association of Nigeria was formed to promote integrity in the Pharma supply chain by collaborating with the regulators and other stake holders in the industry.
Omaruaye added that the Assembly comes at a crucial time for Nigeria and Africa.
He informed that the products commonly affected include antimalarials, antibiotics, pain medications, paediatric medicines, herbal remedies, vitamins, and dietary supplements.
He affirmed that these are products relied upon daily by millions of Africans, stressing that when compromised products enter the supply chain, the consequences can be devastating like treatment failure, antimicrobial resistance, avoidable illness and death, loss of confidence in healthcare systems, and significant economic losses to governments and legitimate businesses.
He explained that recent concerns about counterfeit and unsafe food products have highlighted a broader issue: supply chain integrity, whether the product is a medicine, nutritional supplement, medical device, or food product, consumers depend on systems they can trust.
Omaruaye disclosed that criminal actors exploit weaknesses such as poor traceability, weak documentation, fragmented distribution networks, inadequate storage conditions, and limited consumer awareness.
Omaruaye pointed out that Nigeria occupies a strategic position within Africa’s pharmaceutical ecosystem and
as one of the continent’s largest pharmaceutical markets, what happens within its distribution systems has implications beyond its borders.
He observed that a weakness in one supply chain can become a regional challenge.
Omoruan affirmed that a strong and transparent distribution system in Nigeria contributes significantly to medicine security across West Africa and the continent.
He noted that by the conclusion of APDA 2026, they expect to achieve the Declaration on Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Integrity, including a strategic framework of recommendations for governments, regulators, manufacturers, and distributors across Africa.
Others are stronger regional collaboration, enhanced partnerships among industry stakeholders, regulators, and development partners to tackle cross-border counterfeit medicine challenges,
action framework against falsified medicines, practical recommendations on traceability, serialization, authentication technologies, and supply-chain security among others.
He observed that the future of healthcare in Africa will depend not only on what is manufactured, but on how safely, efficiently, and transparently they are distributed.
APDA is a pan African non profit organisation with the core objective to improve the efficient medicine distribution, promote supply chain integrity, digitize distribution networks and combact substandard, and falsified medicines across Africa by uniting national associations like PWDAN.
Photo Caption:
Nikoro Rosemary, Member BoT of PWDAN, Ernest Okafor, Immediate Past Chairman PWDAN, (left side of chairman) Omaruaye Ogheneochuko, (middle) Chairman PWDAN, Olaide Soetan, Secretary PWDAN, Adebayo Afon, Planning Committee Chairman, Adenike AbdulAzees, Ex Officio Member, Oluwafunke Awopegba, Member PWDAN.
