The discourse on Africa’s pursuit of pharmaceutical autonomy has traditionally centred on the production of finished drug products, inadvertently sidelining a crucial yet less conspicuous component: Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). These foundational elements, essential for all effective medications, highlight a sector where Africa’s dependence is significantly pronounced and insufficiently addressed.
Recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical conflicts, have underscored the necessity of fostering resilience through the diversification of supply chains across various countries and regions.