In a groundbreaking development for Nigeria’s healthcare sector, Codix Pharma Ltd has announced the imminent commissioning of Codix Bio Ltd, a state-of-the-art in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) manufacturing facility in Sagamu, Ogun State.
This marks a major step toward reducing Africa’s reliance on imported rapid diagnostic test kits, over 90% of which are currently sourced from Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East.
The facility, which will be the first of its scale in Nigeria and the second of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, is expected to commence operations in May 2025. Codix Bio will manufacture critical diagnostic tools including malaria, HIV, and hepatitis B and C test kits, positioning Nigeria as a regional leader in medical diagnostics manufacturing.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos Chief Operating Officer of Codix Pharma, Mary Ogangwu said: “This is bigger than us. It is about what is possible for Africa.
“For over two decades, Nigeria has imported these kits. Codix Bio is our answer to that dependency, a local solution to a continental problem.”
Codix Pharma, founded in 2008, initially focused on pharmaceuticals, particularly for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, recognizing a more urgent gap in timely and accurate diagnosis, the company pivoted toward medical diagnostics. Codix Bio represents a culmination of years of strategic backward integration aimed at localizing medical device production.
The new facility follows the successful launch of Colexa Biosensor in December 2023, the first factory for manufacturing blood glucose meters and strips in sub-Saharan Africa. Together, the two plants form a major component of Codix Pharma’s vision to become a leading health tech company in Africa by 2030.
According to Ogangwu, Codix Bio has been developed with global quality benchmarks in mind. “We are committed to meeting WHO prequalification standards and US FDA regulations. Our focus is on quality, safety, and efficacy,” she said.
Olanrewaju Balaja, General Manager of Plant Operations at Codix Bio Ltd, emphasized the factory’s adherence to international standards such as ISO 13485 and the WHO’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). “We are creating diagnostic kits that meet the same standards as those approved by the world’s top health regulators. This will allow us not just to serve Nigeria but to export to West Africa and beyond.”
The factory has completed its design, construction, and utility installation phases, including clean-room environments and air filtration systems. The company is now in the final qualification and validation stages ahead of commissioning.
This initiative aligns with broader government efforts to boost local pharmaceutical and medical device production. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, recently unveiled a national plan to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported healthcare products. Under this policy, local manufacturers are now exempt from tariffs on pharmaceutical equipment and supplies.
Nigeria aims to increase local production of pharmaceuticals to 70% and IVDs to 30% by 2030. Codix Bio is expected to play a pivotal role in this transition, offering a reliable domestic alternative to imported diagnostics and helping reduce stockouts, diagnostic delays, and treatment errors.
The establishment of Codix Bio also reflects the World Health Organization’s call for increased local production of health technologies, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The WHO’s Local Production Forum advocates for regional self-reliance in manufacturing to improve access, affordability, and global health security.
“This is not just a facility, it’s a symbol of what is achievable when innovation meets the right intention. African problems can indeed have African solutions, said Ogangwu.
With the support of regulators such as NAFDAC and the federal government’s health industrialization agenda, Codix Bio is poised to reshape the continent’s medical diagnostics landscape, starting from Nigeria.
