Fidson Healthcare Plc has signed a memorandum of understanding to expand its partnership with Japanese firm, Ohara Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.
The agreement was disclosed in a filing to the Nigerian Exchange on September 3, 2025, signed by the company secretary, J. Abayomi Adebanjo.
At the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), Fidson Healthcare Plc and Japan’s Ohara Pharmaceutical strengthened their partnership, building on years of collaboration.
Fidson said the partnership could see Ohara support its planned capital raise and offer technical expertise to boost local production of specialized medicines, helping reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imports.
The company’s delegation to TICAD9, led by Managing Director and CEO Abiola Adebayo alongside Finance Director Imokha Ayebae and Business Development and Marketing Director Oshoke Ayebae, strengthened the ties of the Fidson-Ohara partnership first established in 2019.
Backstory
In July 2019, Fidson Healthcare Plc entered a strategic partnership with Japan’s Ohara Pharmaceutical, a deal which increased the Japanese firm’s stake in the Nigerian company.
- Through a Rights Issue, Ohara’s stake in Fidson rose to 21.75%, establishing a capital and business alliance.
On July 1, 2019, Fidson had listed 586,360,250 ordinary shares on the Exchange, and later that month, Ohara Pharmaceutical participated, increasing its stake in the company.
Since then, Fidson and Ohara have worked closely together, with the recent memorandum of understanding serving to deepen the ties forged in 2019.
- The collaboration involves the transfer of technical expertise from Ohara, which works in areas such as pediatric oncology and generic medicines.
- The partnership was established in response to Nigeria’s reliance on imported drugs.
According to Fidson’s Managing Director, Mr. Abiola Adebayo, the partnership has helped increase local production capacity, improve the quality and affordability of medicines, and reduce dependence on foreign supplies.
Comments
Addressing journalists during the expo, Mr. Abiola Adebayo expressed his satisfaction with the company’s participation in the event stating that it marks a significant milestone in the history of the Fidson-Ohara relationship:
“Putting this strategic alliance on a world stage like TICAD emphasizes the fact that the Fidson-Ohara collaboration has come to stay.” He stated.
In continuation, he added, “The intention of Ohara to deepen commitment in Fidson is a very welcome idea that will significantly scale up Fidson’s operations. It will enable Fidson to expand capabilities in areas critical to Africa’s healthcare needs, such as API production and other innovations pioneered by Ohara.”
Also commenting on the ties, Dr. Seiji Ohara, President and CEO of Ohara Pharmaceutical, said the new Memorandum of Understanding will strengthen the partnership, support Fidson’s growth, and improve access to innovative healthcare solutions
