Nigeria: Fidson selected by the Medicines Patent Pool to manufacture a flu antiviral

The Nigerian laboratory Fidson Healthcare Plc has been selected by the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to manufacture baloxavir marboxil, an antiviral for the flu, according to an announcement made on September 25, 2026, and reported on October 4 by allAfrica. The MPP, an organization supported by the United Nations, is acting within the framework of a licensing agreement concluded with the Swiss laboratory Roche.

Eleven manufacturers, nine countries, 129 markets

Fidson is part of a group of eleven manufacturers spread across nine countries: in addition to Nigeria, these include Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Uganda, Ukraine, and Vietnam. The license granted covers 129 countries, paving the way for generic versions of the drug well beyond the markets where it is currently sold.

"Being selected by the Medicines Patent Pool is an honor," said Biola Adebayo, Managing Director of Fidson. Charles Gore, Executive Director of the MPP, explained that the goal is to build a "more geographically diverse and resilient" supply base.

Two African manufacturers out of eleven

Only two African countries appear on this list: Nigeria and Uganda. It is a small number, yet it represents a real shift. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Africa discovered at its own expense what it means to depend entirely on factories located on other continents: waiting lines for doses, renegotiated contracts, and schedules imposed from the outside. Producing on the continent means regaining control over that schedule.

Baloxavir marboxil is taken as a single dose, making it an interesting tool for health systems where monitoring long-term treatments remains difficult. Its local manufacture, however, requires rigorous quality controls: the challenge for Nigerian and Ugandan regulators will be to guarantee impeccable generics, otherwise the gain in sovereignty would be paid for with lost trust.

What comes next

The concrete steps—technology transfer, approvals, and the market launch schedule—remain to be specified. The MPP presents the operation as a contribution to preparing for future epidemics, an area where Africa has paid the highest price for its absence from production chains.

Fidson, listed on the Lagos Stock Exchange, is one of the few Nigerian laboratories to have invested in industrial capacities that meet international standards. Its selection suggests that these investments are beginning to be recognized where global licenses are decided.