From Rotimi Asher, Abuja
In a move to expand the availability of essential medicines across Nigeria, Getz Pharma Nigeria Limited has partnered CHI Pharmaceuticals Limited, a member of Tropical General Investments, TGI, Group to leverage its nationwide distribution network, marking a major step toward improving access to quality healthcare across the country.
This was announced during a strategy session at CHI Pharma’s Headquarters in Lagos.
The partnership gives Getz Pharma access to over 5,000 registered pharmaceutical outlets already covered by CHI Pharma, a network that reaches more than half of Nigeria’s licensed pharmacies.
“This is not just another handshake. Getz Pharma chose us for a reason. We have built deep relationship across Nigeria’s pharmaceutical landscape for almost three decades, and now, they are tapping into that infrastructure to bring lifesaving medications closer to the people who need them most
“The collaboration, formalised after six months of due diligence, is built on a multiple distribution model that ensures product availability and business continuity”, the Chief Operating Officer at CHI Pharma, Shriram Iyer, noted.
“Patients suffer when quality drugs are unavailable. This model ensures that pharmacies and hospitals always have access. We are investing in sustainability, scale and speed,” the General Manager, Commercial, Getz Pharma Nigeria, Syed Khairat Haider, said.
With a combined field force of over 60 people focused on activation, awareness and distribution, the partnership allows each company to focus on their core strengths: Getz Pharma will drive physician engagement and education, while CHI Pharma manages last-mile delivery and retail placement.
“We have built this model to ensure deep penetration of Getz Pharma brands into pharma channels such as wholesale pharmacies, retail pharmacies. We have done this successfully with over 17 other partners, and each time, the focus is the same: access, affordability and ethical distribution”, the Sales Director for General Trade at CHI Pharma, Timothy Olabiyi, added.
While CHI Pharma’s proprietary brands like Supramult® and Co-Mal® continue under a separate umbrella, the Getz partnership like other distribution partnerships will be carried out by our field force, solely focused on product placement and visibility within pharma channels.
“Within the first few days of activation/launch, we have already surpassed our initial sale target. This is just the beginning. We are looking to expand into biologics and innovative therapies to raise the standard of care in Nigeria,” Haider said.
This new alliance followed the recent CHI Pharma collaboration with EVA Pharma and Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals, reinforcing the company’s role as a trusted distribution partner for global and local pharmaceutical players targeting Nigeria.
