For decades, African nations have relied heavily on imported pharmaceuticals to meet their healthcare needs. Dr. Arnaud Kaboré, a pharmacist and engineer, outlines a strategic roadmap for policymakers to achieve pharmaceutical sovereignty by 2045.

Why Africa must break free from pharmaceutical dependency

Despite progress, fewer than five African countries currently operate pharmaceutical manufacturing plants capable of exporting beyond their borders. This leaves the continent importing a staggering 94% of its medicines, costing over $18 billion annually—a figure projected to exceed $30 billion by 2030. The economic burden is only part of the problem. Structural dependence on foreign supply chains exposes Africa to severe health risks.

Data from the World Health Organization reveals that over 70% of public health facilities in Africa experience critical medicine shortages at least once every quarter. Is it sustainable for 1.4 billion Africans to depend on decisions made outside the continent regarding production, logistics, and geopolitics? The COVID-19 pandemic exposed this vulnerability, with shortages of essential drugs like amoxicillin, insulin, and anesthetics disrupting healthcare systems. Chronic shortages of cancer treatments and innovative therapies further highlight the human cost—unmanaged diseases, inflated prices during shortages, and stalled public health programs.

Yet Africa possesses untapped potential to transform this dependency into self-reliance:

• A booming market: Africa’s pharmaceutical sector could exceed $70 billion by 2030, creating unprecedented opportunities for local industries.
• Rich biodiversity: The continent is home to over 5,400 medicinal plants, some already integrated into approved therapeutic protocols.
• Regulatory momentum: The African Medicines Agency (AMA), ratified by 27 countries, is standardizing pharmaceutical regulations across the continent.
• Political commitment: Countries like Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, and South Africa have launched ambitious local production initiatives.

Building a sustainable pharmaceutical industry: lessons from failed models

Past efforts to replicate the models of multinational pharmaceutical giants have repeatedly failed. Africa cannot afford to import equipment without simultaneously developing local expertise, technical know-how, and industrial assets. This approach leads to higher production costs, persistent dependence on foreign raw materials and technologies, and ultimately, the collapse of sovereignty ambitions.

True pharmaceutical industrialization demands rigorous methodology, long-term vision, and a strategy rooted in Africa’s unique strengths—its growing market, medicinal biodiversity, regulatory progress, and political will. Dr. Kaboré’s roadmap offers policymakers a clear, actionable plan to reclaim Africa’s pharmaceutical sovereignty by 2045. The goal is clear: produce locally to heal locally, and in time, contribute to global health security.

Dr. Arnaud Kaboré

Pharmacist and Health Sector Executive