By JKNewsMedia
Nigeria’s biomedical sector gained fresh momentum as CODIX BIO Limited unveiled the country’s first large-scale rapid diagnostic test production facility, strategically located along the Sagamu Expressway in Ogun State. The landmark project, the second of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa, is set to produce up to 147 million test kits annually for diseases such as HIV, malaria, and hepatitis B and C.
Speaking at the commissioning, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, described the development as a defining moment for Nigeria’s healthcare future.
“This facility signals a transformative chapter in our nation’s public health architecture. It is a bold declaration of intent—to reduce dependency on imported diagnostic tools and build capacity through local manufacturing,” he said.
The Governor emphasised that over 90% of diagnostic kits used across Africa are currently imported, citing a 2023 World Health Organization report. CODIX BIO’s local manufacturing capability, he noted, not only represents a healthcare breakthrough but also reinforces economic resilience by saving foreign exchange, generating employment, and deepening industrial growth.
Health Minister Prof. Ali Pate Muhammad lauded Ogun’s industrial progress, crediting Governor Abiodun with building a powerful convergence of infrastructure, talent, and opportunity. “You’ve created a fertile ecosystem for medical manufacturing, and it’s one that others across the country would do well to emulate,” he said.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, echoed that sentiment, praising the Governor’s investor-friendly policies and infrastructural strides, particularly at the Gateway International Airport. He called on CODIX BIO to partner with universities and research institutions to transform the facility into a training hub for future biomedical scientists, pharmacists, and engineers.
CODIX BIO Limited’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sammy Ogunjimi, outlined the plant’s continental ambition, confirming its selection under the WHO H-TAP initiative—a global partnership involving WHO, SD Biosensor, and the Medicines Patent Pool.
“This factory is now recognised in Geneva as a flagship site for regional production support. We aim to serve not only Nigeria but the entire ECOWAS region and beyond,” Ogunjimi declared.
He also thanked the Ogun State Government for providing a 30% operational discount, noting the project would not have been possible without such strategic support.
