There is a tremendous opportunity for transformation in Africa’s Life Sciences sector. Although the continent accounts for roughly 18% of the global population-soon rising to 25, only 2% to 4% of clinical trials occur here. The unmet medical needs are immense, and if Africa hopes to break a cycle of challenges and emerge as a global leader in innovation, building a robust Life Sciences industry is critical. After all, many of the world’s best ideas and innovations come from young people; soon, most of the world’s youth will be African.
Decades of investment in African research- particularly in HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis – have produced outstanding results, including insights into emerging infectious diseases like Ebola and Marburg. Still, far too little research has addressed equally urgent but more localised conditions, such as cholera, typhoid, and respiratory diseases, which cause high mortality on the continent – research into non-communicable diseases-hypertension, cardiology, neonate mortality, oncology-lags.
Though local research entities can be exceptional, they are often siloed and not integrated into public health systems. Frequently, these institutions recruit participants from public facilities but offer little benefit or capacity-building in return, fueling mistrust of Western-funded research. Networks created around these institutions are typically headquartered in Western countries, with African sites serving primarily as effective, protocol-executing hubs. As funding for specific disease areas declines, these centres and their hard-won expertise are at risk of being mothballed. It is understandable for governments to re-evaluate their spending priorities, but from an African perspective, this can be devastating for future research on the continent.
Well-established sites could shutter, and the technical expertise of highly trained personnel risks dissipating. Physicians may emigrate to countries like the United States or the UK. However, most Africans would prefer to remain if adequately supported at home-especially given rising hostility toward immigrants elsewhere. Physicians still have more viable options than allied health staff or basic scientists, who may leave the sector altogether. This loss of human capital would erode the very foundation of a nascent Life Sciences industry and curtail scientific progress. Losing the ability to maintain equipment and quality control measures would undermine any hope of building a self-sustaining research infrastructure.
Yet, expecting Western leaders to pick up the slack is misplaced. Africa’s scientific advancement is ultimately the shared responsibility of Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. So how do we move forward?
First, we must forgo competition-at least for now-and collaborate as one continent. Consolidation will be crucial. Some research centres may need to merge or dissolve, but we must do so in a way that transfers knowledge and integrates these capabilities into public health and academic institutions. Standalone research centres unlinked to clinical care are unsustainable without substantive domestic investment from the public and private sectors.
Human resource costs must align with local market rates rather than distort them through NGO-style compensation. Procurement strategies should be consolidated to negotiate fair prices, particularly for lab reagents and specialised equipment. For example, the cost of antibodies from certain suppliers can be triple what they charge European institutions. High import duties and taxes further inflate costs. We recently faced a 100% duty on scientific-grade freezers because local regulations put punative taxes to understandably protect domestic fridge manufacturers-who do not produce freezers suitable for research. These policies penalise African scientists and make them uncompetitive compared to peers in India, China, or the United States.
Finally, Africa should focus on pragmatic trials shaped by local priorities-not a Western contract research model. Locally based organisations must develop operating structures that align with regional realities, ensuring Africa can compete with Asia and South America regarding cost and quality. Where skills are lacking, the diaspora can help fill gaps, and it is supported by data systems and AI to streamline processes.
Governments, meanwhile, may not offer the operational efficiency or agility to drive a Life Sciences revolution, but they have the power to craft policies that encourage innovation. Many remain sceptical of research, given decades of Western-driven projects with unclear local benefits. If we want a different outcome over the next 20 to 30 years, we must collaborate with agile, business-minded institutions that operate sustainably and see the national imperative to bolster research. Together, we can integrate new efforts into existing health systems, strengthen quality standards, and, most importantly, ensure that Africa takes its rightful place in the global scientific community.
By Dr Tariro Makadzange, CEO, Africa Clinical Research Network