Mr. Frank Muonemeh, Executive Secretary and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), joined global change-drivers, African ministers, and policy strategists in Algiers, Algeria, for the Ministerial Conference on Local Production of Medicines and Health Technologies.

The conference held from 27 to 29 November 2025 at the International Conference Centre (CIC) convened under the auspices of the Algerian Government and the World Health Organization (WHO) Local Production Unit, centred on the theme: “Pharmaceutical Sovereignty as a Pillar of Africa’s Health Security and Industrial Development.”

The historic gathering brought together heads of agencies, development partners, global procurement bodies, manufacturers, and senior government delegates to advance Africa’s push toward self-reliance in medicines and health technologies.

The meeting was expected to culminate in the Algiers Declaration—a landmark continental commitment to expanding local production, strengthening regulatory systems, and accelerating industrial transformation across the pharmaceutical value chain.

In Algiers, Muonemeh represented Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector and played a prominent leadership role across multiple high-stake sessions.

He chaired the plenary session on “Financing Local Pharmaceutical Production Across the Value Chain in Africa,” where he guided discussions on mobilising sustainable capital, de-risking investments, and building financing ecosystems that support indigenous manufacturing.

Muonemeh also participated in a strategic panel on catalyzing investment for sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing, joining senior representatives of development banks, multinational partners, and procurement institutions to outline pathways for scaling Africa’s pharmaceutical capacity.

In addition, he spoke at a high-level side event organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on the theme: “Strengthening Technology Transfer and Investment Promotion for Sustainable Pharmaceutical Manufacturing in Africa.”

There, he emphasized that Africa’s industrial future depends on deliberate policies that encourage technology flow, competitive manufacturing, and local market prioritisation.

Speaking on Nigeria’s position and Africa’s shared mission, Muonemeh noted that the continent had reached a defining moment. “Pharmaceutical sovereignty is more than an ambition; it is a survival strategy for Africa,” he said. “The continent must build, invest, and innovate locally. Every access is local, and our policies must reflect that urgency.

His participation further reinforced Nigeria’s leadership role in continental pharmaceutical advocacy, particularly in shaping policies that expand local production, strengthen supply chain resilience, and safeguard medicine security.

The Algiers Conference marked one of the most significant continental engagements on pharmaceutical industrialisation in recent years, setting the stage for a united African front in the global health-technology landscape—one where local production becomes both a right and a responsibility shared across nations.