Nigeria and Barbados are set to establish an intravenous fluids manufacturing plant in the Caribbean as part of a broader initiative to strengthen pharmaceutical production, healthcare cooperation and trade between Africa and the Caribbean.
The proposed joint venture between Nigeria’s AMA Medical Manufacturing and Barbados Pharmaceutical Incorporated is expected to facilitate technology transfer, skills development and local manufacturing capacity, with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) supporting the project’s preparation and exploring financing options.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, announced this during a Fireside Chat at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Antigua on the sidelines of this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
Speaking alongside Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, and World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Senator Akume said Nigeria was determined to transform its historical and cultural ties with the Caribbean into a sustainable economic partnership.
In a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, the SGF described the proposed manufacturing investment as a major step towards establishing a two-way healthcare and trade corridor across the Atlantic.
‘This is Nigerian enterprise putting down roots in the Caribbean. It is an opportunity to transfer skills, develop local expertise and establish productive capacity that will remain and grow in the region,’ Akume said.
The SGF stressed that Africa and the Caribbean must leverage their shared heritage to reduce dependence on external suppliers of essential medicines and medical products.
‘When we speak of Africa and the Caribbean, we are speaking of a shared history, a shared heritage and, above all, a shared people. Many Barbadian families trace their ancestry to the lands that are now Nigeria. Prime Minister Mottley herself has spoken of her Nigerian roots.
‘The African Union (AU) recognises the diaspora as Africa’s sixth region. For Nigeria, therefore, the Caribbean is not simply another market or another partner. The Caribbean is family,’ he said.
Akume said the historic relationship must now translate into measurable economic benefits through stronger South-South cooperation, particularly in healthcare manufacturing, investment, trade and technical expertise.
‘For too long, countries across the Global South have depended on others for essential medicines and medical supplies. We must have a greater role in developing the solutions to these challenges.
‘We must be able to produce more of the medicines our people need, and ensure that those medicines are safe, effective and accessible,’ he stated.
The SGF explained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration prioritised domestic pharmaceutical production through the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain to expand manufacturing capacity and strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare industry.
He noted that Nigerian manufacturers must explore opportunities beyond the domestic market to achieve sustainable growth and international competitiveness.
‘The Caribbean offers an opportunity to deepen our historic relationship while building new economic connections across the Atlantic and into the Americas,’ he said.
Highlighting progress in bilateral cooperation, Akume recalled that Nigeria’s Presidential Initiative and Barbados Pharmaceutical Inc. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in November 2025 to strengthen collaboration in healthcare manufacturing.
He announced that AMA Medical Manufacturing subsequently delivered its first shipment of intravenous fluids from Nigeria to Barbados in March 2026, describing the development as evidence of the growing commercial relationship.
The SGF also identified Air Peace flights connecting Lagos with Barbados and Antigua as an important factor in improving connectivity and facilitating trade between both regions.
He said the proposed partnership must not be limited to Nigerian exports, adding that Barbados had equally demonstrated capacity to supply specialised healthcare products to the African market.
According to him, intraocular lenses manufactured by Barbados-based Lenstec have already undergone evaluation and early clinical use in Nigeria.
‘This is a reminder that the Caribbean also has expertise and products to offer Africa. We should be building a corridor through which goods, investment, skills and knowledge move in both directions,’ Akume said.
The SGF emphasised the importance of regulatory cooperation, pointing to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) as a critical institution in guaranteeing product quality and protecting consumers against substandard and falsified medicines.
He noted that closer collaboration between Nigerian and Caribbean regulatory authorities would promote technical exchange, strengthen public confidence and facilitate the movement of quality-assured pharmaceutical products.
Akume also called for coordinated action among government agencies, investors, manufacturers and financial institutions to translate the emerging partnership into concrete results.
‘As the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, I also recognise that partnerships of this nature require sustained coordination. Health, trade, regulation, investment and financing must work together if our ambitions are to translate into results,’ he said.
The SGF reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to building an enduring economic relationship with Caribbean countries, declaring that both regions possessed the expertise, resources and historical connections necessary to develop a mutually beneficial partnership.
‘Our shared history has given us a powerful bond. Our responsibility now is to give that bond an equally powerful future.
‘Let us build a partnership in which Africa and the Caribbean can rely more confidently on our own capabilities, respond to the health needs of our people and create opportunities for generations to come,’ he said.