Ex-lawmaker Oyintiloye urges Tinubu on drug price enforcement 

Former Osun lawmaker, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called on President Bola Tinubu to fully enforce the Executive Order on reducing drug and medical consumable prices.

Former Osun State lawmaker and member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intensify efforts towards the full enforcement of the Executive Order on the reduction of prices of essential medicines, medical consumables, and health equipment.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Oyintiloye stressed that although the order was signed in June 2024 to relieve Nigerians of the heavy financial burden of healthcare, the situation in the market shows that the expected relief has not yet been felt.

He noted that patients continue to struggle with skyrocketing medical expenses despite the introduction of the policy.

According to him, the Executive Order was designed to revolutionise the health sector by removing tariffs, excise duties, and Value Added Tax (VAT) on specific categories of pharmaceutical raw materials, equipment, and medical consumables.

The purpose, he explained, was to make it easier for local manufacturers to produce drugs at cheaper rates, enhance competitiveness, and ultimately pass the benefits on to ordinary citizens.

However, Oyintiloye lamented that the reality has fallen short of expectations. He observed that the prices of many life-saving medicines such as insulin, Metformin, and Exforge remain unreasonably high, making them unaffordable to millions of Nigerians battling chronic health conditions.

This, he said, continues to place many households under financial distress and worsens the already fragile public health situation in the country.

He pointed out that although the Nigeria Customs Service publicly announced on March 26, 2025, that it had commenced implementation of the new directive, the effect has barely trickled down to the pharmaceutical sector and, by extension, to patients.

While acknowledging that there had been marginal price reductions in a few drugs such as Augmentin and Ventolin inhalers, the former legislator stressed that the cuts were negligible compared to the scale of the problem.

“The spirit of the Executive Order is commendable, but Nigerians are yet to see the real impact.

“What is the essence of a policy if ordinary citizens, who are its primary targets, cannot feel the difference in their daily lives?” he asked.

Oyintiloye, therefore, urged President Tinubu to put in place stricter mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Executive Order.

According to him, without effective follow-up and enforcement, the policy risks being reduced to a mere announcement with little practical benefit to the masses.

“I want to appeal to Mr. President to ensure that the executive order on drug prices is not only implemented but fully enforced to the letter.

“This will empower local manufacturers to lower production costs and reflect the changes in the final prices of drugs.

“Nigerians are already going through enough hardship, and access to affordable healthcare should not add to their burden,” he said.

Beyond drug affordability, Oyintiloye commended President Tinubu for other interventions in the health sector, particularly the recent subsidy on kidney dialysis treatment in federal hospitals across the country.

He noted that by reducing the cost of a single dialysis session from about ₦50,000 to a subsidised rate of ₦12,000, the administration had delivered a huge measure of relief to patients and families grappling with kidney-related illnesses.

“This single step has not only saved lives but also renewed hope for many Nigerians who had given up due to the unbearable cost of dialysis treatment.

“It is proof that the president is genuinely committed to making healthcare accessible to all Nigerians regardless of their economic status,” Oyintiloye stated.

He, however, maintained that for the government’s healthcare vision to be fully realised, there must be consistency, transparency, and determination in enforcing all policies designed to reduce costs and improve medical services.

He called on stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and pharmaceutical companies, to work hand in hand to ensure that the benefits of the Executive Order are felt by ordinary Nigerians at the pharmacy counters.

Oyintiloye concluded by expressing confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership, noting that his ongoing reforms show a strong commitment to strengthening the nation’s health system.

He emphasised that with proper monitoring and accountability, the Executive Order on drug price reduction could become one of the most impactful healthcare reforms in Nigeria’s recent history.