By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
The African Medicines Agency
(AMA) has called for a harmonised, predictable and trusted continental
regulatory system to support Africa’s manufacturers and innovators in
developing and bringing medical products to market.
The call was made during
Manufacturing and Innovation Day, the opening day of the inaugural AMA Week
2026 in Kigali, Rwanda, which brought together manufacturers, innovators,
regulators and partners from across Africa and beyond.
In her opening address, AMA
Director-General Dr. Delese Mimi Darko said Africa should be a continent where
new medical products are researched, developed, tested and brought to market.
Throughout the day,
manufacturers and innovators shared their views on the challenges they face,
the opportunities they see and the support they need from regulators, from the
earliest stages of product development onwards. AMA said it would carry the feedback
into its work ahead.
The agency is working with
national regulatory authorities to build a system that provides clear
requirements for manufacturers investing in production, a predictable pathway
for innovators and early regulatory engagement rather than engagement only at the
point of approval.
The system also aims to
promote reliance between regulators to reduce unnecessary duplication while
maintaining rigorous scientific standards.
“Building Africa’s
regulatory future is a shared task,” AMA said, adding that it would continue to
work with manufacturers, innovators and national regulators to deliver it.
