President John Dramani Mahama has announced a $50 million allocation to accelerate Ghana’s vaccine research, manufacturing, and capacity development drive.

The announcement was made at the Ghana Vaccine Manufacturing Investment Forum, held in Accra under the leadership of the Ministry of Health (MoH) through the National Vaccine Institute (NVI), in partnership with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and the PharmaVax Ghana programme.

The Forum brought together over 200 stakeholders — including policymakers, development partners, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and global health institutions — to mobilise funding for Ghana’s long-term vaccine manufacturing strategy.

Key Outcomes of the Forum

Government Commitment:
President Mahama pledged an additional $50 million in seed funding for the NVI, targeted at:

Building and equipping vaccine manufacturing infrastructure.

Supporting compliance with international regulatory standards.

Training scientists and technicians through the Biomanufacturing Training Consortium.

Strengthening Procurement Systems:
The President directed that, within two months, steps be taken to formalise reforms ensuring locally produced goods are prioritised in all public procurement processes. A comprehensive list of such products will be compiled to guide implementation.

Regional Market Access:
Support was pledged for Ghanaian manufacturers to export vaccines and pharmaceuticals to other African countries and participate in the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM).

Financing Support:
The government announced de-risking guarantees and tailored financing instruments to improve access to Afrexim loans for Atlantic Lifesciences and DEK Vaccines.

Transforming Ghana into a Pharma Hub:
The vision rests on three pillars: infrastructure investment, human capital development, and strong policy and partnerships.

Afreximbank Support:
Afreximbank unveiled a funding package for Atlantic Lifesciences and DEK Vaccines, alongside the establishment of the African Life Sciences Foundation Fund, which will support research into diseases disproportionately affecting African populations.

In his address, President Mahama emphasised that Ghana was ready for partnerships, investment, and collaboration to advance the vaccine agenda.

“This is about job creation, technology transfer, dignity, and self-reliance.

Ghana is ready for business, ready for partners, and ready for co-creators,” he said.

The Forum, built on the vision of the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit, hosted a day earlier by President Mahama, where the “SUSTAIN Initiative” was launched to promote investment-driven, country-led health systems anchored in local ownership, regional cooperation, and global partnerships.

High-level participants included: President Mahama; the Minister for Health; the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry; the Deputy Minister for Finance; the Board and CEO of the NVI; CEOs of state agencies; representatives from the Diplomatic Corps; the World Health Organization; Africa CDC; CEPI; African Medicines Agency (AMA); International Vaccine Institute (IVI); Ghana FDA; local and international pharmaceutical manufacturers; universities; commercial banks; development finance institutions, including Afreximbank, World Bank, and DEG, among others.