Nigeria’s health
sector is currently being threatened by a disagreement within the
pharmaceutical industry over the possible imposition of a 20 percent
tariff on imported drugs.
The conflict arises from the ongoing
Common External Tariff (CET) which places zero tariff on imported
finished drugs but imposes between five and 20 percent duty on imported
raw and packaging materials.
Local manufacturers, consisting of
members of the Pharmaceutical Group of the Manufacturers Association of
Nigeria (PMG-MAN), say the five to 20 percent duty on raw and packaging
materials is already threatening to destroy 150 local drug makers and an
estimated N300 billion investment made so far, in the domestic sector,
calling for a review of a the CET to include imposition of 20 percent
tariff on imported finished drugs.
