Africa carries 26% of the global disease burden, yet produces only about 3% of the world’s medicines. Over 70% of drugs used in Africa are imported. More than 95% of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) also come from abroad, mostly from India and China.
That matters because it means “local manufacturing” often still depends on imported chemistry, imported logistics and imported pricing power. This heavy reliance on imports makes Africa vulnerable to global price changes and supply chain disruptions. There is a new, massive push of investment capital aimed at building local production capacity and reducing this risk.
The business potential is large enough to support this effort. Experts at Grand View Research value Africa’s drug market at $27.65 billion in 2024. They expect it to reach $36.96 billion by 2033, with non-branded generics growing the fastest at 4.4% per year.
