Africa must urgently expand pharmaceutical manufacturing and healthcare innovation to reduce dependence on imports and secure a market projected to exceed $100 billion by 2030.
Opening the 5th West Africa Pharma and Healthcare Expo in Accra, speakers warned that despite carrying nearly a quarter of the global disease burden, the continent continues to rely heavily on imported medicines, vaccines, active pharmaceutical ingredients and medical devices.
Mr Anthony Ameka, Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of Africa Medical Equipment, Disposables and Devices Manufacturers and Suppliers (FOAMEDDMS), said Africa currently produced only about three per cent of global pharmaceutical output while importing between 70 and 80 per cent of medicines consumed by its population.
He said that the continent depended on imports for more than 95 per cent of active pharmaceutical ingredients used in pharmaceutical manufacturing and over 90 per cent of advanced medical devices and healthcare technologies.
“This dependence presents significant challenges for healthcare security, economic resilience and sustainable development,” he stated.
Mr Ameka noted that Africa’s expanding healthcare market offered opportunities for industrial growth, job creation and technological advancement.
He said meeting the African Union’s target of producing 60 per cent of the continent’s medicine requirements locally by 2040 would require stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, industry, academia and development partners.
Dr Paul Owusu Donkor, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), in a speech read on his behalf, described local pharmaceutical manufacturing as a strategic necessity for national and continental health security.
He said recent global disruptions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, exposed the risks of excessive reliance on imported medicines and healthcare products.
“When countries closed their borders during the pandemic, many African nations experienced shortages of essential medicines and healthcare supplies. That experience demonstrated why local manufacturing is critical,” he said.
Dr Donkor urged governments to support local industries through investments in infrastructure, research and development, technology transfer, financing and workforce development.
He said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offered manufacturers opportunities to expand production, access larger markets and strengthen regional supply chains.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), in a speech read on behalf of its Chief Executive Officer, stressed that the growth of pharmaceutical manufacturing must be accompanied by strong regulatory systems and quality assurance mechanisms.
The Authority noted that regulatory excellence was essential for ensuring that medicines, vaccines and medical devices produced locally met international standards of safety, quality and efficacy.
Stakeholders highlighted the need to develop a highly skilled workforce to support manufacturing ambitions, citing shortages in pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology, biomedical engineering, regulatory science and clinical research.
They called for stronger partnerships between industry and educational institutions to equip young Africans with expertise to drive healthcare innovation and industrialisation.
The three-day Expo, on the theme “Advancing Healthcare. Connecting Africa,” is organised by Astrovision Global FZCO, Dubai, and ACE Group under the auspices of the Ministry of Health.
Mr Praveen Singh, Chief Executive Officer of ACE Group, said the event had grown significantly since its inception in 2022.
“Our biggest competitor is ourselves. Every year, we challenge ourselves to do better than the previous year by improving the quality of exhibitors, attracting more professional visitors, creating more business opportunities, and delivering greater value to the industry,” he said.
Mr Singh said the 2026 edition was the largest and most international in the Expo’s history, attracting more than 100 exhibitors from countries including India, Turkey, the United States, Egypt, Italy, Ghana and several other markets. He said organisers expected between 4,000 and 5,000 professional trade visitors from Ghana and across West Africa over the three-day event.
Participants said Africa’s healthcare future would depend not only on expanding access to medicines but also on building a competitive pharmaceutical manufacturing sector capable of meeting the continent’s growing healthcare needs.
They expressed confidence that with coordinated investments and policy support, Africa could transform itself from a major importer of healthcare products into a global hub for pharmaceutical production and innovation.
Source: GNA
