Africa CDC backs US$180M Biovac deal to end vaccine import dependence

KENYA—The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has welcomed a major investment partnership between Biovac and Proparco to strengthen vaccine manufacturing capacity across Africa.

The announcement was made on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, where African and European leaders gathered to discuss innovation, industrialisation, and health security partnerships.

Major investment to expand vaccine production

The Africa CDC said the mobilisation of US$180 million will support the expansion of Biovac’s multi-vaccine manufacturing facility in Cape Town, South Africa.

The funding will cover technology transfer, production scale-up, and working capital as the continent intensifies efforts to reduce dependence on imported vaccines.

The financing consortium includes Proparco, the European Investment Bank through the Human Development Accelerator initiative, and the International Finance Corporation.

Additional support from African development finance institutions is expected to be finalized soon.

The European Commission guarantees enabled nearly half of the financing package.

Recent reports indicate that Biovac has already secured US$128 million (about R2.4 billion) toward the project and expects to close the remaining US$52 million (about R962 million) by the end of May.

Facility to produce multiple vaccines

The new facility is expected to become Africa’s first end-to-end multi-vaccine manufacturing site.

Initially, the plant will focus on oral cholera vaccines before expanding production to include vaccines for polio, pneumonia, meningitis, and rotavirus.

The oral cholera vaccine plant is scheduled for completion in 2028 and could produce between 30 million and 40 million doses annually, with the capacity to increase output to 60 million doses if demand rises.

Biovac also plans to use squeezable plastic tube packaging instead of traditional glass vials to simplify vaccine administration in low-resource settings.

According to company officials, the broader expansion programme is valued at US$253 million, with US$150 million allocated to infrastructure development at the Cape Town site.

Africa CDC highlights health sovereignty goals

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Jean Kaseya described the investment as a defining moment for Africa’s health manufacturing ambitions.

He said the continent must strengthen local manufacturing capacity to respond effectively to future health emergencies and reduce reliance on external supply chains.

The Africa CDC also acknowledged the role of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator in creating market opportunities for locally produced vaccines.

The agency noted that such investments are essential for accelerating technology transfer, expanding sustainable manufacturing ecosystems, and improving equitable access to African-made vaccines.

The initiative aligns with the African Union’s target of producing 60% of vaccines used across the continent locally by 2040 while strengthening preparedness against future disease outbreaks.