Nigeria, Barbados Plan Joint Venture For Intravenous Fluids Production
Dr. Nafisat Makinɗe
Nigeria’s AMA Medical Manufacturing and Barbados Pharmaceutical Inc. are proposing a joint venture to establish intravenous fluids manufacturing in Barbados, in a move to expand pharmaceutical production and trade between Africa and the Caribbean.
The development was disclosed by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, and issued on November 2, 2026.
Akume announced the proposed venture during a fireside chat at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Antigua, held on the sidelines of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is engaged in project preparation and a financing pathway for the proposed venture, according to the statement.
The SGF said the initiative formed part of efforts to strengthen South-South cooperation and reduce dependence on external suppliers of essential medicines and medical supplies. He linked the initiative to the Federal Government’s Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Akume cited earlier progress in the Nigeria-Barbados health partnership, including a memorandum of understanding signed in November 2025 between Nigeria’s Presidential Initiative and Barbados Pharmaceutical Inc. He also disclosed that AMA Medical Manufacturing delivered its first shipment of intravenous fluids from Nigeria to Barbados in March 2026.
He said the partnership was intended to facilitate the exchange of products and expertise, noting that Barbados-made Lenstec intraocular lenses had undergone evaluation and early clinical use in Nigeria. He also cited Air Peace flights connecting Lagos with Barbados and Antigua as part of efforts to improve links between the regions.
On regulatory cooperation, Akume identified the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) as important to ensuring the safety and quality of medicines. He said partnerships involving healthcare, trade, investment, regulation and financing would require sustained coordination among relevant institutions.
Akume described the Caribbean as family rather than simply a commercial market, citing shared historical and ancestral ties between Africa and the region, particularly Nigeria and Barbados. He said the proposed venture could support skills transfer, local expertise and manufacturing capacity in Barbados, while broader cooperation would allow goods, investment and knowledge to move in both directions.