NIGERIAN CONSUMERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

Abstract

In the face of increasing and intense competition among firms, consumers in most countries are faced with an ever-expanding choice of product purchase options. Additionally, globalization has presented many consumers, especially those in the Less Developed Countries (LDCs), with the dilemma of choosing between domestic and foreign made products. In Nigeria, research on consumers' attitudes to and perceptions of foreign and domestic goods shows that country of origin (COO) is a significant factor in consumers’ product preferences. The broad objective of this study is to investigate the Nigerian consumers’ perceptions of the difference between foreign and domestic pharmaceutical products. The specific objectives are; to examine the Nigerian consumers’ perceptions of the appropriateness of using foreign made pharmaceutical products at the expense of locally made ones. The study surveyed a wide spectrum of health practitioners such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses, patent medicine dealers, as well as consumers of pharmaceutical products in Nigeria. Data was purposively collected from three states, namely Anambra, Enugu and Imo. These were selected because they are mostly consumed in South-Eastern Nigeria. Hypotheses were tested and data were analyzed using non-parametric analytic instruments. Findings from the study provided evidence which suggested that Nigerian consumers preferred foreign-made pharmaceutical products over domestic ones. Based on the findings, the study recommends that “state of emergency” be declared in the pharmaceutical sector to encourage local producers to upgrade their facilities to international standards certified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in order to satisfy local demands and to enhance exports to other countries.