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… Says Africa cannot achieve health sovereignty depending on imported medicines
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has called on African governments to accelerate the ratification of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) Treaty and harmonize regulatory systems to improve access to affordable medicines and strengthen local pharmaceutical manufacturing across the continent.
The call comes as the AMA holds its inaugural week in Kigali, Rwanda, from October 25 to 30, 2026, amid growing concerns over Africa’s dependence on imported medicines, fragmented regulatory frameworks and the need for greater health sovereignty.
A statement issued to newsmen by the organization’s Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager AHF Nigeria Steve Aborisade, said Africa’s pharmaceutical market is estimated at $30 billion, yet between 70 and 95 percent of medicines consumed on the continent are imported.
It said presentations at the AMA Week also highlighted that Africa recorded a pharmaceutical trade deficit of approximately $12.5 billion in 2020, underscoring the need to strengthen local production capacity and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.
According to figures presented during the event, only 33 African Union member states had ratified the AMA Treaty as of October 2026, leaving more than 20 countries yet to do so.
AHF said accelerating the ratification process was critical to establishing a coordinated continental regulatory system that would support local manufacturers while ensuring access to safe, effective and quality-assured medical products.
AHF Executive Vice President, Penninah Iutung, said Africa could not achieve health sovereignty while depending heavily on imported medicines and remaining vulnerable to disruptions in global supply chains.
He said “Africa cannot achieve health sovereignty while remaining heavily dependent on imported medicines and vulnerable to disruptions in global supply chains.
“We commend AMA for taking this bold step towards a more coordinated regulatory environment” she said urging governments to translate political commitments into concrete action.
Discussions at the AMA Week also highlighted regulatory challenges confronting local pharmaceutical manufacturers, revealing that about 80 percent of manufacturers present identified unpredictable regulatory review and approval timelines as a major challenge, while 77 percent cited differing regulatory requirements across African countries.
Another 54 per cent pointed to duplicated submissions, assessments and inspections, which increase production costs, delay access to medicines and discourage investment in the pharmaceutical sector.
Executive Director of the Global Public Health Institute, Dr Jorge Saavedra, described the establishment of the AMA as an important investment in Africa’s collective capacity to protect public health and shape the future of global health.
He stressed that regulatory harmonization must be accompanied by technology transfer, research and development, and stronger African scientific institutions, adding that health sovereignty must move from aspiration to implementation.
AHF reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with African governments, the AMA, scientists, universities, civil society organizations and industry stakeholders to build a resilient, equitable and self-reliant African health system.
It said stronger regulatory cooperation would not only improve access to quality medicines but also create opportunities for African manufacturers to expand production and serve markets across the continent.
