By Milliam Murigi
Kenya could become a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub for East Africa, but policy reforms, regulatory efficiency and regional market integration will determine the pace of investment and growth.
Speaking during a media briefing on climate, health and Kenya’s future healthcare resilience, Jorge Levinson, Bayer Cluster Division Head for Pharmaceutical Division, Sub-Saharan Africa, said that Kenya has the potential to evolve from a regional distribution gateway into a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub.
However, achieving this ambition will require streamlined trade systems, harmonized regulations across the region and stronger measures to curb counterfeit medicines, which continue to pose risks to both patient safety and investor confidence.
“The country already serves as a logistics corridor for an estimated 300 million people across the region. With infrastructure such as the Port of Mombasa, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and established regional transport links, Kenya is increasingly viewed as a natural hub for pharmaceutical distribution,” he said.
According to him, three key conditions are needed for multinational pharmaceutical companies to expand local manufacturing in Kenya. First, regulatory harmonization across East Africa.
This is essential to allow medicines produced or routed through Kenya to move seamlessly across neighboring countries such as Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. Without regional alignment, fragmented approval systems continue to limit scale and efficiency.
“Multinational firms require larger regional markets to justify manufacturing investments. East African countries need integrated regulatory systems that allow medicines approved in Kenya to move seamlessly across borders,” he said.
Second, the need for stronger enforcement mechanisms to combat counterfeit drugs and unregulated parallel trade. Weak oversight could compromise patient safety and discourage long-term investment in local production.
Finally, improvements in customs and trade facilitation. Efficient clearance systems would significantly reduce delays in moving medicines from production facilities or ports to hospitals and pharmacies.
“Local pharmaceutical manufacturing requires more than factory investments alone. Investors need confidence that products manufactured in Kenya can access larger regional markets without facing multiple regulatory barriers,” he added.
The remarks come at a time when African countries are increasingly seeking to strengthen healthcare resilience following disruptions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed the continent’s dependence on imported medicines and global supply chains.
During the height of the pandemic, many African nations struggled to secure essential medical supplies as wealthier countries prioritized domestic demand, leaving developing economies facing shortages of vaccines, medicines, oxygen supplies and critical healthcare equipment.
The crisis renewed calls for African countries to reduce reliance on imports and invest in regional pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution systems.
“Rise of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, cardiovascular conditions and cancer across Africa, has also led pharmaceutical firms to increasingly focus on expanding access to advanced treatment options in the region,” added Levinson.
Additionally, multinational pharmaceutical firms are increasingly evaluating opportunities for local manufacturing within Africa as global supply chains become more expensive and unpredictable.
Rising fuel prices, shipping disruptions, geopolitical tensions, and increasing freight costs have significantly affected the cost and speed of transporting medicines worldwide. Manufacturing closer to African markets could help stabilize supply while improving affordability and access for patients.
Speaking at the same meeting, Dr. John Mwangi, Head of Regulatory Affairs responsible for East & West Central Africa Region, Bayer said that Kenya already possesses many of the ingredients needed to become a leading healthcare hub in Africa.
Beyond transport infrastructure, he pointed to the country’s growing pool of highly trained medical professionals, internationally recognized researchers and expanding clinical trial capabilities. These strengths according to him have helped position Kenya as a strategic entry point for new medical innovations in East Africa.
He highlighted the recent launch of new therapies in Kenya, including treatment for chronic kidney disease in diabetic patients, saying the company intends to continue introducing innovative products into the Kenyan market.
“Kenya’s long-term healthcare resilience will depend not only on importing high-quality medicines but also on building domestic capacity to produce them. This, would improve supply stability and potentially lower costs if production is localized,” said Dr. Mwangi.
Still, he cautioned that manufacturing investments are scale-dependent and require predictable demand, robust regulation, and secure intellectual property protections before companies can commit to large-scale production.
