A landscape analysis of the vaccine ecosystem in Africa: research and development funding, clinical trials, regulation, and manufacturing readiness.

Abstract

Vaccines are vital for global health, and despite bearing the highest burden of infectious diseases, Africa manufactures less than 1% of its vaccine needs. This Health Policy paper offers an overview of Africa's vaccine ecosystem, examining research and development funding, clinical trials, regulatory maturity, and manufacturing readiness with publicly available data. Funding for research and development (2007-23) was analysed with data from the G-FINDER database, which focuses on diseases disproportionately affecting low-income and middle-income countries. Clinical trial activity (2007-24) was assessed with data from multiple sources. Disease burden context was provided by the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, and regulatory maturity levels were obtained from WHO's list of National Regulatory Authorities. Findings show that Africa received less than 2% of global vaccine research and development funding, with 95% of that funding channelled through high-income countries. Only 8% of global vaccine clinical trials included sites in Africa. Progress in regulatory and manufacturing capacity is emerging, with eight countries reaching WHO maturity level 3 and several countries planning vaccine production facilities. Our findings highlight the need for better vaccine data in Africa and the opportunity to build on existing strengths to reach enhanced sovereignty and resilient health systems.