NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 15 – Kenya is seeking to increase local production of pharmaceutical and other essential health products as manufacturers, regulators and investors prepare to meet at the third African Healthcare Manufacturing Trade Exhibition and Conference (AHMTEC) 2026.
The push follows a presidential directive for at least 50 percent of essential health products to be manufactured locally by 2026 and the Ministry of Health’s Local Manufacturing Strategy 2026–2030.
The strategy seeks to support local pharmaceutical manufacturers to move from basic fill-and-finish operations to more complex manufacturing, while improving access to regional markets through regulatory harmonisation and cross-border trade.
A key focus of AHMTEC 2026 will be the harmonisation of pharmaceutical regulations through the African Medicines Agency (AMA), with discussions expected to address product approvals and barriers facing Kenyan pharmaceutical exporters.
The meeting will also examine ways to increase regional production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and diagnostic products to reduce reliance on imports and exposure to supply chain disruptions.
“AHMTEC brings manufacturers, regulators, policymakers, and investors into one room to bridge the gap between industrialization and commercial success,” said Ann-Marie Hosang-Archer, Chair of the AHMTEC Secretariat.
The conference will focus on two tracks, Industrialize and Commercialize. The first will cover policy, incentives, regulatory harmonisation and local API production, while the second will focus on enterprise readiness, pooled procurement and product portfolio strategies.
Participants will also use the African Manufacturing Market Intelligence & Network Analysis (AMMINA) database, which tracks more than 750 health manufacturers and over 2,500 products, to identify potential regional trade partnerships.
AHMTEC 2026 will be co-hosted by the Federation of African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (FAPMA), Vizuri Health Dynamics and EPMSMISA, in partnership with Health 4 Development, under the theme “Industrialize to Commercialize.”
