China is significantly expanding its “Health Silk Road” initiative across Africa, focusing on local pharmaceutical production to combat medicine shortages and reduce the continent’s heavy reliance on imports. This strategic push involves substantial investments in manufacturing facilities for essential drugs like insulin, antiretrovirals, and vaccines, aiming to enhance African health sovereignty while aligning with China’s broader Belt and Road Initiative.
Expanding Local Medicine Manufacturing
Africa faces a critical gap between its public health needs and its medical supply capacity, importing a vast majority of its vaccines and essential medicines. China’s “Health Silk Road” initiative is directly addressing this by fostering local production. In Nigeria, a collaboration between the National Biotechnology Development Agency and Shanghai Haiqi Industrial Company is set to establish an insulin production plant, making the drug more accessible and affordable for millions of diabetic patients. This project is part of a larger US$100 million investment in Lagos to construct an antiviral drug plant, a crucial step to fill the void left by major pharmaceutical companies withdrawing from regional manufacturing.
Key Projects Across the Continent
Beyond Nigeria, China’s pharmaceutical ventures are spreading across Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical is nearing completion of the first phase of a €50 million (approximately US$58 million) facility near Abidjan. This plant will have the capacity to produce up to 5 billion tablets annually, including vital antimalarial and antibacterial treatments. Similar initiatives are gaining momentum in countries like Egypt, where EVA Pharma has already begun insulin production in partnership with US firm Eli Lilly, and South Africa, where Aspen Pharmacare is collaborating with Denmark’s Novo Nordisk. Chinese firms are also actively boosting local production in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Strategic Implications and Future Outlook
The “Health Silk Road” is an integral part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. While presented as a humanitarian effort, it strategically aligns with China’s commercial interests and its growing influence on the global stage. By investing in African drug manufacturing and forging biotech partnerships, China is not only strengthening African medical self-sufficiency but also deepening its strategic foothold on the continent. This expansion is reshaping the pharmaceutical landscape of Africa, promising greater access to medicines and fostering a more robust healthcare ecosystem.