Background

The current Director General (DG) of NIPRD has close to two decades’ knowledge and experience in healthcare research, policymaking and management, both in Nigeria and internationally. Prior to his appointment as Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Dr Adigwe was the Executive Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), where he played a key role in the development and implementation of policy initiatives which made considerable impact on West Africa’s Pharmaceutical Sector. Some of his achievements in PMG-MAN include the prioritization of the Pharma Industry in the 2016 Fiscal Policy and the organization of the Landmark 2017 Pharma Expo. He was also lead contributor to the Medicines’ Security Concept that aims at improving sustainable access to safe, high quality and affordable healthcare, through local production of medicines and commodities.  

Dr. Adigwe was the pioneer Head of the Health Policy Research and Development (HPRD) Unit at the Nigerian National Assembly, where he formulated research and development strategies in Health Policy with a view to developing an Evidence-Based approach to Legislation and Policy formulation in Nigeria. He also developed innovative and contextual capacity building modules for Healthcare Professionals, as well as coordinated research that contributed to Health System strengthening. He has a significant number of peer-reviewed publications including the first Knowledge Attitudes and Perceptions study on Ebola in Nigeria, as well as a seminal paper on Rational Use of Medicines. While in the United Kingdom, he was the lead author of the article “Rewrite the script for Non-medical Prescribing” which contributed to prescribing policy reforms in the British Parliament. 

Due to his proactiveness, barely a few months into his assumption of duty as Chief Executive of NIPRD, Dr. Adigwe has put in place machinery to attract funding from activities with non-traditional partners. For instance, the initiation of new dimensions in getting external partnerships by the deployment of the Contextual Processing Protocol (CPP) Projects designed to harness natural phytomedicinal potential of local plants whilst improving human capital development by creating semi-skilled jobs for youths and women at the rural grassroots and also increasing revenue generation for the states. So far very high-level discussions are being held with Kaduna, Edo, Lagos, Ondo and Anambra State Governments to deploy the CPP projects. His target is to niche a model that can be replicated in all the states of the federation of Nigeria and worldwide. 

He staked his reputation to come out strongly in support of local manufacturing of vaccine production to address local diseases, which is the ultimate aim of any Nation with robust strategies to address healthcare challenges. Currently, Nigeria has over a third of all medicines manufacturing plants on the continent. Dr. Adigwe believes that with highest number of relevant international quality certifications and awards in this part of the world there are significant resources that can be leveraged within the right policy framework to expedite local vaccine production, not just for the nation, but also for the continent. Based on his efforts and that of other Stakeholders, the Nigerian Government has signed a 6 Billion Naira Partnership to manufacture vaccines locally.

Dr. Obi Adigwe has headed and served on numerous Committees and Expert Working Groups at both national and international levels, including the D-8, United Nations, World Health Organisation, The African Union and ECOWAS. 

Adigwe was recently conferred with the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) award by President Muhammadu Buhari, following the recognition of his hard work, excellence and productivity in a number of high-level thematic contributions to National Development between 2017 and 2020.

Selected International Assignments

1. National Representative and Head, Organising Committee – Forum of the West African Pharma Manufacturers’ Association (Cote D’Ivoire, 2018).

2. Country Lead – Developing 8 Organisations for Economic Cooperation (D-8) Ministerial Task Force on Pharma & Medical Equipment (Nigeria, 2017).

3. Country Representative and Panel Chair – African Union (AU) Continental Forum on Access to Medicines and Health Commodities (Ethiopia, 2017).

4. Ministerial Delegate and Industry Representative – India Africa Health Summit (New Delhi, India 2016).

5. Country Representative and Focal Delegate – UNCTAD International Exchange Workshop for Generic Manufacturers Association (Kenya, 2016). 

Selected Awards and Grants

1. Granted the prestigious University of Leeds’ GRASS Post-Doctorate award following a competitive interview process (2013).

2. Awarded the highly competitive University of Leeds’ Underwritten Scholarship in the School of Healthcare (2008).

3. Won a University-wide essay competition and was subsequently funded to represent the University of Edinburgh at an international conference (2008).

4. Graduated magna cum laude in my Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree at the University of Jos (2000).

Selected Publications

1. Adigwe, OP. Akpa, SO., 2018. Medicines’ Security: Consolidating health access gains and catalysing development in the New Year. The Authority Jan 18th 2018 pp17

2. Adigwe, OP. 2018. Policies and external factors influencing drug production and quality assurance: Insights into the West African Pharma Industry. West African Post-Graduate College of Pharmacists Workshop Proceedings 2018 p4

3. Adigwe, OP. 2017. Policy and Practice: Barriers and facilitators to developing local capacity for medicines and other health commodities in AHD 2017 Conference Proceedings V1 pp13 – 14

4. Alfa, J., Adigwe, OP., & Umoru, A. 2016. Effect of health sector funding on immunization services: findings from Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. Value in Health, 19(3), A271.

5. Umoru, A., Alfa, J., & Adigwe, OP. 2016. Factors influencing access to medicines in Nigeria: views and experiences of residents of the Federal Capital Territory. Value in Health, 19(3), A35.

6. Adigwe OP, Alfa J Umoru AB, 2015 Ebola Virus Disease: understanding how relevant health information is disseminated in Nigeria. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 23;s1: 15 – 16

7. Umoru AB, Alfa J, Adigwe OP 2015 Pharmaceutical sector reforms and access to medicines: findings from Nigeria’s federal capital territory. Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference Proceedings: 146 

8. Usoro, IL., Adigwe, OP 2014 Budget practices and the Nigerian Civil Service: new insights from an organisational culture perspective. Developing Country Studies 4;10:28-24 

9. Okoye N., and Adigwe, OP 2015 “Who wants to be an entrepreneur?” An insight into the profile of individuals interested in entrepreneurship in Nigeria . European Journal of Business and Management 7;21: 93-103 

10. Alfa J Umoru AB, Akinrinade AA, Adigwe OP 2015 Rational use of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections: findings from a secondary healthcare facility in Abuja. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 23;s1: 32.

11. Alfa J., and Adigwe, OP 2014 Rational use of medicines in Nigeria: a critical review. Journal of Biology Agriculture and Healthcare 4;16: 28-24 

12. Adigwe, OP. 2014. I predict an epidemic: strategies for addressing obesity and overweight in Nigeria.  Guardian. 20/02/2014: pp80 

13. Deshi P.J. and Adigwe, OP. 2014 Harnessing sports’ potential for national development. Thisday 07/08/2014: pp14

14. Risby, G. and Adigwe, OP. 2013. Apprentice to award winning practitioner: The role of mentoring in pharmacy training. Pharmacy Technicians Journal Winter 2013: 20-21.

15. Adigwe, OP. 2012. A BMJ for the United States: what about others? Reply to Payne D. and Godlee F. A BMJ for the United States. British Medical Journal; 345:e6688 [Online] Available at: http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e6628?tab=responses

16. Risby, G. and Adigwe, OP. 2012. Using Pharmacy Apprenticeships to unlock potential: Experiences from Yorkshire and the Humber. Pharmacy Technicians Journal Autumn 2012. 

17. Idris, HB., Adigwe, OP., Abdullahi-Gero, HS. 2014. Prevalence, prevention and treatment of malaria in pregnancy: findings from a large urban hospital in Nigeria’s capital territory  International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 22;s1:28 

18. Umoru, AB., Alfa, J., Adigwe, OP. 2014. Public perception of pharmaceutical sector reforms: findings from Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. Presentation at the Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition (DUPHAT).

19. Adigwe, OP., Alfa, J., Umoru, AB. 2013. Fighting faking and counterfeiting: lessons from the Nigerian NASS clinic. International Journal of Drug Development and Research 5;3:229-233

20. Adigwe, OP., Strickland-Hodge, B., Briggs, M., Closs, SJ. 2013. Developing a grounded theory to understand non-medical prescribing for chronic pain. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 18;s1:21

21. Adigwe, OP. and B. Strickland-Hodge 2012. Rewrite the script for non-medical prescribing. Health Service Journal, 22 October 2012 [Online] Available at: http://www.hsj.co.uk/resource-centre/best-practice/care-pathway-resources/rewrite-the-script-for-non-medical-prescribing/5050241.article

22. Adigwe, OP. 2012. Using grounded theory to understand chronic pain patients’ views and experiences of non-medical prescribing. Presentation at the Medical Education Research and Development Conference. 

23. Risby, G. and Adigwe, OP. 2012. Rising to the QIPP challenge. Health Service Journal, 9 August 2012: 19. 

24. Adigwe, OP. 2012. Health Literacy: Patient involvement and engagement with healthcare. Reply to Raynor, DK. Health Literacy. British Medical Journal;344:e2188 

25. Adigwe, OP., Strickland-Hodge, B., Briggs, M., Closs, SJ. 2011. Prescribing by pharmacists in the United Kingdom: What Can We Learn?  The Nigerian Journal of Pharmacy 44:1.

26. Adigwe, OP. 2011. Using grounded theory to understand chronic pain prescribing by nurses and pharmacists. Presentation at the Joint Annual Scientific Meeting of The British Pain Society & The Canadian Pain Society.