NAIROBI, Kenya – Africa carries 25 per cent of the global disease burden but produces just 3 per cent of the world’s medicines — a mismatch that continues to expose the continent’s fragile healthcare systems and its reliance on foreign supply chains.
Despite being home to 18 per cent of the world’s population, Africa imports more than 70 per cent of its medicines, most of them from India and China.
This dependency drives up costs, disrupts supply during crises, and limits access to essential treatments.
The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare this vulnerability when major drug exporters imposed export restrictions, leaving African manufacturers unable to source key ingredients.
Many local pharmaceutical operations stalled, and shortages of antibiotics, antimalarials, and cancer medicines followed.
Costly imports and weak infrastructure
At the centre of the problem is Africa’s dependence on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) — the compounds that make medicines effective. Over 95 per cent of APIs used on the continent are imported.
This has a direct impact on affordability. In South Africa, for instance, a six-month course of the cancer drug capecitabine costs around US$2,200 — a price far beyond the reach of most patients.
Local production of APIs could sharply reduce such costs by eliminating import fees, cutting shipping delays, and boosting employment and innovation within Africa’s pharmaceutical sector.
Building Africa’s own pharmaceutical backbone
Experts say the solution lies in adopting modern manufacturing technologies and nurturing local talent.
Continuous flow manufacturing — a process that produces medicines in a steady stream rather than in batches — is emerging as a game changer. It allows faster, safer and more cost-efficient production.
However, technology alone cannot solve the challenge. “A mix of traditional and modern methods, tailored to local needs, will be key to building a sustainable pharmaceutical sector,” said one of the scientists leading research in this field.
The continent’s pharmaceutical capacity remains limited by inadequate infrastructure, high energy costs, lack of skilled professionals, and weak funding. But several African governments and private players are beginning to turn the tide.
Momentum builds across the continent
Nigeria’s Emzor Pharmaceuticals and Fidson Healthcare, South Africa’s Aspen Pharmacare and Chemical Process Technologies, Egypt’s Eva Pharma, and Uganda’s Dei BioPharma are among companies investing in local API manufacturing.
Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, and Nigeria have also begun investing in public-private partnerships to strengthen local production and reduce import dependency.
A 2023 African Development Bank report estimated that Africa will need about US$11 billion by 2030 to grow its pharmaceutical industry, including vaccine and API manufacturing.
Recent developments show progress. Emzor Pharmaceuticals secured €14 million from the European Investment Bank last year to set up a malaria drug manufacturing plant in Nigeria.
In South Africa, the government backed the creation of FuturePharma, an open-access facility at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) that supports pharmaceutical innovation, training, and research.
Training the next generation
Efforts to address the skills gap are underway. The CSIR Workforce Development Programme and the African STARS Fellowship, hosted by Stellenbosch University and Institut Pasteur de Dakar, are training young scientists from academia and industry to develop locally relevant medicine and vaccine production systems.
These initiatives aim to create a workforce capable of driving a homegrown, resilient pharmaceutical sector — one that can supply affordable medicines and respond swiftly to health emergencies.
With rising investment, new technologies, and expanding partnerships, experts believe Africa’s vision of pharmaceutical independence is attainable.
But sustained political will, infrastructure investment, and regional collaboration will determine whether that vision becomes reality.
“Africa must build the capacity to produce its own medicines,” the chemist said. “It’s not just about self-sufficiency — it’s about saving lives and building resilience for the future.”
