By Kingsley Adegboye

West Africa’s leading pharmaceutical trade exhibition, Pharma West Africa, will open on April 14 at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, bringing together major stakeholders across the medicines supply chain.

The three-day event, which runs from April 14 to April 16, is expected to attract more than 250 exhibitors and about 4,500 visitors from across the globe for the combined exhibition and conference.

Organisers say the event has become a key meeting point for pharmaceutical manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, buyers, pharmacists and retailers seeking to explore new partnerships and business opportunities in the region’s growing medicines market.

According to industry data, Nigeria’s pharmaceutical market reached an estimated value of ₦2.54 trillion in 2025, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 6.41 per cent over the next five years. Across West Africa, the pharmaceutical market recorded revenues of more than ₦4.12 trillion in the same year, highlighting the sector’s rapid expansion and increasing investment interest.

The exhibition floor will feature country pavilions from China, Turkey, Bangladesh, Egypt and the Government of Saint Petersburg in Russia, alongside exhibitors from India, Vietnam, Canada, the United States, the Middle East and Europe.

Local and regional pharmaceutical companies will also showcase their products and innovations, as the event seeks to strengthen the region’s pharmaceutical ecosystem.

Pharma West Africa will also provide exhibitors with opportunities to engage with verified hosted buyers from countries including Ghana, Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Rwanda, Kenya, Cameroon, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Africa, Egypt and Morocco.

The event is organised by BtoB Events, an international exhibition and conference company with a portfolio spanning sectors such as medical technology, food, beauty and automotive parts.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BtoB Events, Jamie Hill, said the exhibition has grown into one of the most important pharmaceutical industry gatherings in Africa.

Hill noted that in its third year, Pharma West Africa has continued to attract strong support from pharmacy associations, pharmaceutical organisations and trade bodies committed to improving access to quality medicines across the continent.

He added that the event will also feature a conference where industry experts will discuss key developments shaping the pharmaceutical sector.

The conference will be chaired by Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, a former president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and founder of Pharmaplus Nigeria Ltd., who will also help coordinate the programme.

In addition, Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Wholesalers and Dealers Association will host a special conference on the final day of the event to provide networking opportunities for leading pharmaceutical importers in the country.