Kenya unveils major push for local vaccine manufacturing as French Minister visits BioVax Institute

KENYA — French Minister for International Development Éléonore Caroit has toured the Kenya BioVax Institute facility in Embakasi this week to showcase Kenya’s growing commitment to local vaccine and biotherapeutics manufacturing.

The visit highlights Kenya’s dedication to strengthening health security, reducing dependence on imports, and improving access to essential health products across East Africa.

This high-profile visit came one day after Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale called for accelerated investment, technology transfer, and stronger regional collaboration to build Africa’s resilience against future health emergencies.

During the Africa Forward Summit 2026, Kenya positioned its local pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing at the center of the continent’s health sovereignty agenda.

Urgent need for domestic vaccine production

Speaking at the High-Level Ministerial Roundtable on Local Manufacturing, held on the sidelines of the summit, Hon. Duale emphasized that Africa must urgently scale up domestic production of medicines and vaccines.

He explained that the continent must reduce dependence on external supply chains that proved fragile during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The roundtable discussions centered on sustainable financing, technology transfer, regulatory harmonization, strategic partnerships, and expanding regional market access for African manufacturers.

“Health security cannot be outsourced. Countries that do not produce essential health products remain exposed to external shocks,” Hon. Duale emphasized.

Major infrastructure investments underway

Cabinet Secretary Duale highlighted Kenya’s significant ongoing investments through the Kenya BioVax Institute, including a USD 60.8 million (KSh 8 billion) fill-and-finish vaccine facility with an annual production capacity of 72 million doses.

The government also announced a USD 248 million (KSh 33 billion) end-to-end manufacturing facility at Konza Technopolis, which will become the most advanced vaccine manufacturing facility in Kenya and one of the most significant in the region.

Kenya is strengthening its regulatory systems toward attaining the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool Maturity Level 3 while advancing reforms to digitize supply chains and strengthen institutions such as KEMSA.

The country recently achieved WHO Maturity Level 3 with support from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board and the National Quality Control Laboratory.

The roundtable brought together African leaders including Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, WHO Regional Director for Africa Prof. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, Morocco Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, Tunisia Prime Minister Sara Zaafarani, Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya, and representatives from Amref Health Africa, Gavi, and other global partners.

mRNA Technology transfer breakthrough

Speaking during the visit, Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr. Ouma Oluga noted that Kenya officially joined the WHO-Medicines Patent Pool mRNA Technology Transfer Programme in February 2026, positioning the country among a select group of nations building capacity for local mRNA vaccine production.

The initiative, implemented through the Kenya BioVax Institute in collaboration with KEMRI, will enable Kenya to produce vaccines for priority diseases affecting African populations.

Dr. Oluga noted that Kenya’s COVID-19 pandemic experience exposed the risks of overreliance on imported vaccines.

He recalled chairing Nairobi’s COVID-19 task force during the crisis, describing the pressures health authorities faced amid rising infections and delayed vaccine supplies.

“The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the risks of relying entirely on external supply chains for lifesaving vaccines,” Dr. Oluga explained.

Production Timeline and Next Steps

Dr. Oluga emphasized that significant progress has occurred at the facility, including infrastructure development, systems establishment, and technical preparations for safe, quality-assured vaccine production.

The next phase will focus on installing and validating fill-and-finish equipment, strengthening quality control systems, building specialized workforce capacity, and preparing for compliant vaccine manufacturing.

Kenya aims to release its first trial batch of locally manufactured vaccines by the end of 2027, targeting immunization of over three million children with affordable, critical vaccines.

The government’s immediate priority supports BioVax’s transition from facility readiness to actual production and eventually full end-to-end manufacturing through partnerships in technology transfer, financing, skills development, regulatory strengthening, and market access.

The visit included World Bank Vice President for Development Finance Mr. Akihiko Nishio, French Ambassador for Global Health Ms. Anne-Claire Amprou, Kenya BioVax Board Chair Dr. Charles Githua Githinji, Kenya BioVax Institute CEO Dr. Wesley Ronoh, members of the French delegation, development partners, senior ministry officials, and Kenya BioVax Institute staff.