Tinubu hails NAFDAC for retaining WHO Maturity Level 3 status
By Kunle Sanni –
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on retaining the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status for the regulation of medicines and vaccines.
The recognition followed a re-benchmarking exercise conducted by the WHO from May 28 to 30, 2025, which assessed NAFDAC’s compliance with global standards for regulatory performance.
NAFDAC first attained ML3 status in 2022, becoming the first national regulatory authority in Africa to achieve the milestone in regulating medicines and vaccines for a non-producing country. WHO policy requires periodic reviews to ensure sustained compliance.
The latest evaluation came after a formal re-benchmarking in November 2024 and five Institutional Development Plan (IDP) review meetings between February and April 2025 to assess progress on corrective actions.
In its verdict, the WHO said NAFDAC had “successfully maintained a regulatory system that operates as a stable, well-functioning, and integrated framework for regulating medicines and vaccines (non-producing),” crediting the Nigerian government’s investment in strengthening the regulatory system.
Tinubu commended NAFDAC’s management and staff for their professionalism and dedication to safeguarding public health, describing the achievement as a boost to Nigeria’s credibility in global health security and pandemic preparedness.
The president reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of medicines and vaccines in line with international best practices, adding that the milestone aligns with his Renewed Hope Agenda to transform the nation’s healthcare system.
He also highlighted ongoing government initiatives, including the upgrade of over 17,000 primary health centres, improvements in maternal care and diagnostics in underserved areas, training for 120,000 frontline health workers, and efforts to double national health insurance coverage within three years.
