By Kingsley Webora TANKEH
The Federation of African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (FAPMA) has pledged its unwavering commitment to weaning the continent off what they term a “dangerous” and “unjust” dependence on imported medicines, vowing to transform Africa into a self-reliant producer of its own drugs.
Speaking at the Africa Healthcare Manufacturing Trade Exhibition and Conference (AHMTEC) 2025 opening in Accra, the Chairman of FAPMA, Emmanuel Mujuri, revealed that African drug manufacturers are operating at less than 50 percent of their production capacity – making them only able to meet 30-40 percent of local demand.
He therefore urged regional manufacturers to ramp-up production in the face of donor-funded programmes which are eating into the market for local producers.
“African pharmaceutical manufacturers supply less than 1 percent of the US$3billion that comes into Africa,” he noted.
Mr. Mujuri called for a shift in procurement policies – urging donors and African governments to prioritise ‘Brand Africa’ by purchasing from local manufacturers.
A policy adviser at the Office of the Vice President, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, emphasised that the reality of African manufacturers producing less than 30 percent of medicines consumed on the continent is a “wake-up call we cannot afford to ignore”.
“For too long, African health security has been at the mercy of external forces. This dependence is not only unsustainable, it is a moral challenge,” he noted.
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo stressed that the choice of Ghana as a host for AHMTEC 2025 couldn’t be timelier. He however seized the opportunity to unveil Ghana’s plan of becoming a continental pharmaceutical hub, leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat headquartered in Accra.
“Government is determined to ensure that the private sector benefits from government-backed industrial financing schemes, targetted tax incentives and technological transfer programmes,” he stated.
The African Manufacturing Market Intelligence and Network Analysis (AMINA) platform was also launched at the event. The database contains information on over 700 manufacturers and 2,500 health products across 18 African countries and is designed to give investors and governments the data needed to close manufacturing gaps and accelerate investment.
The Council Chair of co-organiser Vizuri Health Dynamics, Dr. Mariatou Jallow, framed the gathering as fundamental to shifting the mindset of Africans to own their future. “We need to come out from that mindset of supporting African manufacturing as a protected industry,” she asserted.
Themed, ‘Collaborate to Compete – Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Growth’, AHMTEC 2025 is organised by FAPMA in partnership with Vizuri Health Dynamics. AHMTEC 2025 spans October 7 to 9 and will draw in over 260 participants from 111 organisations across 26 countries. Healthcare manufacturers across Africa will be exhibiting their products to the participants and building networks and partnerships that improve manufacturing and healthcare supply chains in Africa.
