LAGOS, June 19 (Reuters) – Nigerian manufacturer Codix Bio Ltd is set to produce millions of HIV and malaria test kits at its new facility near Lagos, aiming to supply both domestic and regional markets. The move comes in response to funding reductions by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a company executive confirmed.
The United States, the world’s leading provider of humanitarian aid, has reduced its foreign assistance budget—half of which is disbursed through USAID. According to USAID data, the U.S. contributed $740 million to Nigeria in 2024, primarily for malaria prevention, HIV control, and vaccine distribution to local health centers.
While the full impact of the aid cuts on Nigeria is not yet known, the Nigerian government has pledged to mobilize funds to sustain key donor-supported health programs.
Olanrewaju Balaja, General Manager of Codix Bio, stated that the company will begin distributing test kits later this month from its Iperu-Remo plant in Ogun State, developed in partnership with South Korea’s SD Biosensor and with support from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The facility currently has the capacity to produce 147 million test kits annually, with plans to scale up production to over 160 million units.
A worker at the plant was seen inspecting plastic HIV 1/2 test cassettes, illustrating the company’s readiness to fill the critical supply gap caused by reduced international funding.
