Swipha

What Swipha does

Swipha (legal entity: Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited) is a Lagos-based pharmaceutical manufacturer founded in 1976 by F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Switzerland, that has operated as a premium branded generics producer in Nigeria since 1999 and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of India's Micro Labs in 2024. The company manufactures over 50 SKUs and 30+ brands across five therapeutic categories — Anti-diabetes, Anti-infectives, Anti-malarial, Central Nervous System, and Cardiovascular — at a single manufacturing facility located at 5 Dopemu Road, Agege, Lagos State. Its consumer health portfolio includes nutritional supplements (SupraFem, SupraFit, SupraKIDS) and OTC products (Polyfort, Swifen, Expezol), while its prescription portfolio spans antimalarials (Arenax Plus, Dyrax), antibiotics (Swipha Azithromycin, Cefuroxime), antidiabetics (Metformin, Glipizide), cardiovascular agents (Amlodipine, Rosuvastatin), and CNS medications.

The company operates a conventional pharmaceutical manufacturing stack (V-Blender, Shear Mixer, HPLC, compression, coating, blistering, liquid manufacturing lines, dissolution, purified water processing) supplemented by a pharmacovigilance monitoring platform that provides end-to-end product traceability through the distribution channel. Swipha holds Nigeria-first ISO 9001:2008 certification (2008), West Africa-first WHO cGMP certification (2014), and Africa-first WHO prequalification for a finished pharmaceutical product (Pediatric Zinc Sulphate, 2023), followed by a second WHO prequalification for Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (2024).

The business model is sales-led and prescription-driven: Swipha sells directly to hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies through a 100+ member sales force, distributes consumer products via retail pharmacy wholesale, and supplies government health programs (including the Nigerian National Malaria Elimination Programme) directly. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customer segments span healthcare providers, retail pharmacy end-patients, pregnant women (via WHO-prequalified SP), and pediatric patients (via WHO-prequalified Zinc Sulphate). The company leverages partnerships with NAFDAC, MMV, Unitaid, USP, and Global Fund/USAID pursuit channels to access donor-funded procurement.

Name

Swipha

Legal name

Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited

Website

https://swiphanigeria.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Swipha is a Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturer (subsidiary of India's Micro Labs) producing 50+ SKUs across anti-malarial, anti-infective, anti-diabetic, cardiovascular, and CNS categories, serving hospitals, pharmacies, and government health programs in Nigeria and West Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Generic Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (42421)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Care & General Medicine Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cardiometabolic Pharmaceuticals (Cardiovascular/Diabetes/Obesity) (HLAIAAAE), Infectious Disease & Antimicrobials Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAG), Government & Public-Sector Pharmaceutical Supply (Tender/Prime Vendor) (HLAIAJAF)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Generic medicines
• Antimalarial drugs
• Prescription medicines
• WHO prequalified drugs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lagos

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: Sale of prescription and consumer healthcare pharmaceutical products across five major therapeutic classes including Anti-diabetes, Anti-infectives, Anti-malarial, Central Nervous System and Cardiovascular. Products include over 50 SKUs and over 30 brands.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Swipha (Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited) manufactures and distributes a portfolio of over 50 SKUs and 30+ brands of prescription and consumer healthcare pharmaceutical products across five major therapeutic categories: Anti-diabetes, Anti-infectives, Anti-malarial, Central Nervous System, and Cardiovascular. The company operates a WHO cGMP-certified manufacturing facility in Lagos, Nigeria, producing WHO-prequalified medications and serving healthcare providers, pharmacies, and government health programs in Nigeria and West Africa.

Product overview

Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited (Swipha) is a pharmaceutical company manufacturing a comprehensive portfolio of prescription medicines and consumer healthcare products across five major therapeutic categories: Anti-diabetes, Anti-infectives, Anti-malarial, Central Nervous System (CNS), and Cardiovascular (CVS). The company produces over 50 SKUs and 30+ brands. Key prescription products include antimalarials (Arenax Plus, Dyrax, Swidar), antibiotics (Ocefix, Swipha Azithromycin, Swipha Cefuroxime), antidiabetics (Clabetic, Swipha Metformin, Swibetic), cardiovascular medications (Swipha Amlodipine, Cardiotan, Clopidogrel, Rosuvastatin), and CNS medications. Consumer/healthcare products include nutritional supplements (SupraFem, SupraFem Plus for prenatal care, SupraFit, SupraFit Men, SupraFit Women), pediatric products (SupraKIDS Syrup, SupraKIDS Drops), and over-the-counter medications (Polyfort, Swifen, Expezol). The company achieved WHO prequalification for two products: Pediatric Zinc Sulphate 20mg dispersible tablet and Sulfadoxine Plus Pyrimethamine for malaria prevention in pregnancy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Swipha Pharmaceuticals: Primary brand for prescription medicines and consumer healthcare products

Products and services

• Arenax Plus Forte

Quantifiable outcome

• First company in Africa to obtain WHO Pre-qualification for Zinc 20 mg Dispersible Tablet
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 August 2024Provided technical and dossier support for WHO prequalification of Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine. MMV has over 18 years experience supporting local manufacturing that meets WHO quality standards and works with pharmaceutical manufacturers in malaria-endemic countries to reinforce their capacity to produce quality medicines.
• NAFDACcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNational regulatory agency for food and drug administration in Nigeria. Provided regulatory support and collaboration that enabled Swipha to achieve WHO prequalification. NAFDAC Director General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye commended Swipha for its achievement.
• Nigerian National Malaria Elimination ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body responsible for malaria elimination in Nigeria. Elated about Swipha's attainment of WHO prequalification, stating it promises to have tremendous impact on the Nigerian health system by increasing availability of quality-assured medicines.
• Servier Generic GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Servier Group, aligned with Swipha's mission to care through action and promote community-interest activities. Servier Group values (Commit to Succeed, Dare to Innovate, Grow by Sharing, Care) guide Swipha's corporate responsibility initiatives.
• Global FundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational financing institution that purchases drugs for distribution to countries with high disease burden. Swipha is seeking partnerships with Global Fund and USAID to tackle critical health challenges like Malaria.
• United States Pharmacopoeia (USP)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerScientific organization that develops standards for medicines. Part of the USP-PQM+ program that played a crucial role in making WHO prequalification possible.
• Micro LabscoreOthersSwipha became a subsidiary of Micro Labs in 2024. Micro Labs is a multinational pharmaceutical company with presence in over 50 countries and having over 40 WHO prequalified products in various therapeutic areas.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sanofi Nigeria: Multinational pharma with Nigerian operations across prescription generics, vaccines and consumer health in cardiovascular, diabetes, anti-infectives and CNS — directly overlapping Swipha's therapeutic footprint as a global incumbent rather than a regional generics specialist.
• Cipla (African operations): Indian multinational generics giant with active West African sales including ARVs, antimalarials and respiratory products; competes with Swipha on cost-leadership generic molecules and operates regional manufacturing partners in Africa.
• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK Nigeria): Multinational pharma with Nigerian operations selling branded pharmaceuticals and consumer health across anti-infectives, pain and respiratory — overlapping with Swipha's therapeutic categories but serving as a much broader-portfolio incumbent rather than a focused generics manufacturer.

Direct peers

• Drugfield Pharmaceuticals: Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturer of branded generics across anti-infectives, anti-malarials and supportive therapies; same Nigerian market context, comparable prescription-led distribution model and head-to-head competitor for Swipha's therapeutic categories.
• Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries: Leading Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturer of branded generics across antibiotics, antimalarials and supportive therapies; comparable scale, Nigerian domestic focus and competing for share of the same prescription and OTC channels as Swipha.
• Fidson Healthcare Plc: Largest Nigerian-listed branded generics manufacturer producing prescription and consumer healthcare products across antibiotics, antimalarials, cardiovascular and nutraceuticals — directly comparable therapeutic portfolio, distribution model and Nigerian market focus.
• Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc: Nigerian-listed pharmaceutical manufacturer with branded generics across cardiovascular, anti-infectives and nutraceuticals; comparable therapeutic breadth, single-country focus and prescription / consumer hybrid distribution.
• May & Baker Nigeria Plc: Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturer (and historical Swipha management alumni pipeline via Technical Director Yetunde Adigun's prior role) producing branded generics across anti-infectives, anti-malarials and consumer health — directly comparable product mix and Nigerian market footprint.

Emerging players

• Emcure Pharmaceuticals: Indian generics manufacturer with active African footprint and growing WHO prequalification portfolio — a credible emerging competitor in West African tender and private generics markets where Swipha also competes.

Regional players

• Aspen Pharmacare Holdings: South African pharmaceutical manufacturer with the largest branded generics portfolio on the continent and active WHO prequalification footprint; comparable broad therapeutic categories and African manufacturing base, but operates primarily from a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/swiphaN
• Facebookfacebook.com/swiphanigeria
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swipha-nigeria
• Instagraminstagram.com/swiphanigeria

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swipha