Africa CDC to advance long-term vaccine manufacturing partnership with Aspen for Africa

KENYA – The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and Aspen Pharmacare are advancing discussions on a long-term demand-and-supply framework to strengthen sustainable vaccine manufacturing across Africa.

The talks, announced at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, reflect growing efforts to reduce the continent’s heavy reliance on imported vaccines and to build a stronger regional healthcare manufacturing ecosystem.

Africa currently imports most of its vaccines despite consuming more than one billion doses annually.

Through the proposed partnership, Africa CDC and Aspen plan to establish a multi-year collaboration to boost local manufacturing capacity, improve supply security, and create sustainable markets for African-made vaccines.

The discussions initially focus on priority vaccine antigens while supporting a gradual increase in production volumes that could eventually reach tens to hundreds of millions of doses per year.

The framework will also explore competitive pricing models that align with international market benchmarks while ensuring long-term sustainability for African manufacturers.

Improving demand visibility and market stability

The Africa CDC stated that the initiative aims to improve long-term demand visibility for manufacturers, enabling companies to make larger investments in production facilities with greater confidence.

The collaboration is also expected to support more reliable access to regionally produced vaccines for African countries.

Dr. Jean Kaseya described the discussions as a critical step toward transforming Africa’s vaccine manufacturing ambitions into commercially sustainable operations.

He noted that the Africa CDC is working not only to support local production but also to strengthen procurement systems, improve market predictability, and create viable opportunities for African manufacturers.

According to Kaseya, the broader goal is to secure reliable vaccine access and strengthen supply security through African-led production systems.

 Aspen expands manufacturing ambitions

Stephen Saad said Aspen remains committed to becoming Africa’s preferred vaccine manufacturing partner.

He added that the company’s investments in sterile manufacturing facilities in Gqeberha, South Africa, position Aspen to scale vaccine production and reduce Africa’s reliance on overseas imports.

Aspen previously invested nearly 10 billion rand (USUS$540 million) in sterile manufacturing infrastructure in South Africa and France to expand vaccine and injectable production capabilities.

Saad further noted that Aspen’s supply chain network already supports the distribution of medicines to more than 115 countries, giving the company a strong platform to deliver vaccines across Africa.

The company has also explored partnerships involving mpox vaccines and next-generation injectable therapies as part of its broader expansion strategy.

Broader continental manufacturing agenda

The Africa CDC-Aspen engagement forms part of wider continental efforts to strengthen Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.

Recent initiatives announced alongside the Africa Forward Summit include a US$180 million investment in expanding vaccine manufacturing, involving Biovac and Proparco.

Meanwhile, African leaders continue to push for stronger local manufacturing ecosystems through the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM), the African Medicines Agency, and the African Continental Free Trade Area, aiming to create predictable markets for locally manufactured health products.