Egyptian Company to Build Drug Factory in Abia

An Egyptian company, Utopia Pharmaceuticals, plans to set up a drug manufacturing plant in Abia State. This facility will cater to Nigeria and the West African market.

The company's founder, Kamel Muhamed, shared this news on Wednesday. He spoke during a meeting with Governor Alex Otti at Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.

Muhamed mentioned that they want to partner with the Abia State Government to build the plant as part of their growth strategy in Africa. He believes the new plant will make Nigeria a center for advanced pharmaceutical technology, benefiting the larger West African region.

He explained that Utopia already works under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Egypt and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) regarding drug registration.

Muhamed added that the company has successfully launched similar manufacturing projects in Tanzania and other African countries. Now, they are ready to bring that experience to Abia.

He also announced plans to present their anti-malaria products in the state as a pilot program.

In response, Governor Otti welcomed the idea. He stressed that local manufacturing is key to the state’s industrialization plan. Otti said his government prefers investments that boost production instead of just distributing finished goods.

The governor pointed out that manufacturing jobs will help reduce poverty and promote economic growth. It will also encourage the transfer of technology.

Otti promised the investors that the state would support them in setting up the plant. He suggested that they consider the Ukwa area for the location because it has plenty of natural gas, reliable electricity from Geometric Power, and enough land for industrial development.

He also assured the delegation that acquiring land would be straightforward. He directed the Commissioner for Health, Enoch Uche, to collaborate with the investors to help get the project underway.