The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a severe global health vulnerability: Vaccine apartheid—with Africa relying on external supplies for over 99% of its routine vaccines, the continent suffered disproportionately.
In response, Africa is making a strategic, multi-billion-dollar bet on mRNA technology, seeking to transform itself from a consumer of global health products into a self-sufficient producer and innovator.
This revolution, driven by global partnerships and local commitment, presents significant opportunities for Africa to achieve certain levels of healthcare self-sufficiency, but is deeply complicated by funding bottlenecks, an intellectual property maze, and logistics challenges.
The WHO mRNA Hub
The heart of this revolution is the WHO mRNA Technology Transfer (mRNA TT) Hub in Cape Town, South Africa, established in 2021. Co-led by the WHO and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), the Hub’s mandate is to share the essential know-how, technology, and training to build sustainable, end-to-end mRNA production capacity across the developing world.
The Hub operates a “hub-and-spoke” model, in which the team develops the technical package and transfers it to 14 manufacturing partners worldwide.
On the continent, countries such as Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tunisia are actively building regional manufacturing capacity using this model.
The ambition extends far beyond COVID-19.
mRNA is recognised as a versatile biotechnological solution that enables rapid responses to any pathogen.
Prioritise Diseases: The Hub makes it easier to target diseases that disproportionately affect low and middle-income countries, including HIV, Malaria, and Tuberculosis (TB).
Rapid Response: This platform is vital given the 63% increase in zoonotic outbreaks across Africa between 2012 and 2022. For instance, Afrigen is already developing the first mRNA vaccine candidate for Rift Valley Fever, demonstrating the continent’s commitment to addressing its endemic and emerging threats.
The Challenges To Local Production
Fulfilling the promise of local mRNA production requires a significant investment in three key areas: infrastructure, human capital, and regulation.
Building manufacturing facilities requires specialised equipment, but the greatest logistical hurdle is the Cold Chain.
The Ultra-Cold Constraint: Unlike conventional vaccines, major mRNA products require ultra-cold storage. Storing them at standard refrigeration temperatures significantly reduces their shelf life. Maintaining this cold chain is challenging in African systems due to frequent power outages and a scarcity of ultra-cold freezers. Studies in countries such as Cameroon have documented that 96% of vaccine supplies were exposed to excessively high temperatures during transport, posing a risk of mass vaccine wastage. The most sustainable solution is not simply to reinforce the fragile cold chain, but to invest heavily in scientific innovation to develop heat-stable mRNA vaccines.
Human Capital And Skills Transfer: A factory is only as good as the scientists who run it. Africa currently faces a severe skills shortage in biotechnology and specialised regulatory science. African nations require a concerted effort to train technicians and attract the African scientific diaspora back home. Programs like the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), backed by Gavi and offering $1.2 billion in funding incentives, are important in encouraging the essential technology and skills transfers required for long-term production viability.
Streamlining Continental Regulation: With more than 50 National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) operating independently, the fragmented regulatory landscape can hinder market viability. The African Medicines Agency (AMA), established by the African Union, is the critical strategic response. Its purpose is to coordinate regulatory policies across the continent.
Navigating Challenges To Local Production
Financial Sustainability And Fragile Demand
The high capital costs associated with manufacturing require an assured market, which is currently uncertain. Sustainability depends entirely on clear visibility of demand and on the political and financial will of African governments to purchase local vaccines. Without predictable procurement pipelines, the initial, significant investment risk will be too high.
Intellectual Property (IP) And Freedom To Operate
For African manufacturers, the lack of legal clarity on exclusive processes poses a major threat. The South African Hub was forced to develop its own vaccine after proprietary technology was withheld. However, this strategy is legally risky, as local manufacturers must be prepared to defend against legal challenges arising from existing patents, including those filed by major global firms in African jurisdictions. The African healthcare community must push for local IP reform. Unfavourable patent systems create an environment where the threat of expensive litigation can easily stifle scaling up, making it essential that the legal environment prioritises public health needs.
The Cold Chain As An Operational Barrier
The logistical challenges of the cold chain are a serious operational constraint. Logistical failures due to high temperatures, power outages, and inadequate infrastructure account for up to 50% of vaccine wastage globally. The true long-term solution lies in scientific research and development to produce thermostable mRNA vaccines that remain stable at ambient temperatures. This single innovation would be the most effective way to eliminate dependence on fragile, high-cost cold-chain networks and unlock access to remote parts of the continent.
Africa’s big bet on the mRNA revolution is a necessary and strategic move to secure its health future. The WHO Hub’s initial strength in establishing the AMA and launching AVMA is impressive.
However, moving from ambitious plans to durable self-sufficiency requires more than just factories and training. It requires deep political commitment; predictable local procurement to stabilise the market; IP law reform to ensure freedom to operate; and strategic investment in thermostable mRNA R&D to overcome the cold-chain’s geographical and logistical barriers.
The ultimate success of this manufacturing mandate will determine not only the continent’s ability to respond to the next pandemic, but its capacity to conquer endemic diseases for decades to come.
