Nigeria is taking a jab at the global and African syringe export market. The syringe industry has the capability to boost the country’s economy in terms of investment and security.
The Chairman, Syringe and Needle Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and Managing Director, Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Company Limited, Zubeyir Gulabi, said Nigeria had eight syringe factories, which he described as a huge and sustainable investment.
He said the syringe factories’ sub-sector was strategic and very good for sustainable development, adding that it could ensure national security, create thousands of jobs and tackle youth restiveness, among others.
“There are two syringe factories each in Calabar and Ilorin and one each in Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Port Harcourt and Kano,” he said.
Gulabi further explained that one factory was worth $25 million, while the eight factories were worth over $200million, stressing that the eight factories could provide direct employment to no fewer than 2,000 people with a multiplier effect on 2,000 families.
He disclosed that among the factories, JSM in Akwa Ibom, which was inaugurated by Vice President Yemi Osibanjo in September 2017, was the newest, adding, “In age, we are young but we are the umbrella and father of medical devices in Nigeria.”
He said the JSM product was gaining stand in the international market due to its quality, noting that the Akwa Ibom syringe had reached Sierra-Leone, Cotonou, Benin Republic and China, among others.
“We took the sample, last year, to the European Medical Trade Fair; one German company wanted to partner with us because of the quality, they could not believe that this is a product made in Nigeria. The quality is good,” he added.
According to findings, the Akwa Ibom Syringe Factory produces 700,000 syringes daily and over 350 million syringes yearly, which amounts to about 75 per cent production.
The Quality Control Manager of JSM, Mary Mendie, noted that quality checks were done with everything that had to do with syringe manufacturing, from moulding to packaging, and to ensuring strict adherence to quality.
The Production Manager, Victor George, disclosed that 12 Nigerians, who were sent to Turkey for training on quality control production, had reduced the use of foreign experts in the factory, noting that they were already delivering good jobs.
