Health industry in Africa: Structuring the value chain to strengthen sovereignty

The health industry in Africa remains paradoxical. The continent bears a significant share of the global burden of disease, while its industrial capacity in pharmaceutical production and medical devices remains limited.

According to the WHO, Africa accounts for around 25% of the global burden of disease but has only around 3% of the world’s health professionals and a marginal share of global pharmaceutical production. This structural imbalance reveals a deep dependence on imports.

Yet health is not only a public service. It is a complete industrial value chain: healthcare, drug manufacturing, medical device production, logistics, research and development, insurance and HealthTech.

A costly dependence

Most medicines consumed in Africa are imported. This situation exposes countries to currency fluctuations, supply disruptions and geopolitical tensions.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of states dependent on imports for vaccines and protective equipment.

The challenge for Africa’s health industry is therefore clear: to transform structural dependence into productive capacity.

Structuring to create value

Developing a local pharmaceutical industry is not simply a matter of building factories. It requires:

• Robust regulatory frameworks
• Quality control in line with international standards
• Integrated logistics capabilities
• Specialised technical training
• Access to long-term financing

This type of infrastructure creates skilled jobs, increases tax revenues and strengthens the trade balance.

It is a strategic choice: investing in health as a priority industrial sector.

Why this is a strategic moment

Africa’s population growth, combined with urbanisation and the emergence of a middle class, is driving a structural increase in demand for healthcare and medical products.

Failing to structure Africa’s health industry today means externalising a growing share of economic value over the long term.

What we analyse in the Special Report

In the Special Health Report – K-World No. 17, we detail:

• The 7 sub-sectors of the health value chain
• The most profitable segments
• Inspiring international models
• The conditions for industrial structuring

>> Download the Special Report (French) to understand how Africa’s health industry can become a pillar of economic sovereignty.