Nigeria is one of the developing countries faced with the “double burden” of persisting high prevalence of communicable diseases and rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Key health indicators such as maternal and infant mortality are worse than the Sub-Saharan African average and Nigeria is not on track to achieving most of the health-related MDGs by 2015.

(Source: Nigeria Pharmaceutical Country Profile, Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization, June 2011, pp.7-8.)

Official statistics suggests that Nigeria has one of the highest incidents of Malaria, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis and other similar diseases especially among children between the 0-10 year old brackets.

1)      HIV/AIDS: As of 2012 in Nigeria, the HIV prevalence rate among adults ages 15–49 was 3.1%. Nigeria has the second-largest number of people living with HIV[1]. With the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic having attained unprecedented levels, the demand for preventive and curative measures such as condoms and anti-retroviral drugs would be on the increase[2].

2)      Malaria: Malaria is Nigeria’s most important public health challenge and is responsible for 60% of outpatient visits to health facilities in Nigeria, 30% of childhood deaths and 11% of maternal deaths. Over 90% of Nigerians are at risk of malaria with over 100 million cases per year and about 300,000 deaths6. The Federal Ministry of Health estimates a financial loss of approximately USD8.4 million per year[3].

[1] "HIV/AIDS - People Living with HIV/AIDS", CIA World Factbook (2012) Accessed February 20, 2014.

[2] http://www.proshareng.com/articles/Archives/Nigeria-s-Pharmaceutical-&-Health-Care-Sector/1444

[3] Nigerian Health Sector Market Study Report, PharmAccess Group, March 2015, p.12.