Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says Africa could generate an additional $668 billion in economic value and create more than 4.5 million jobs within two decades through aggressive investment in health research and innovation.
The projection is contained in a new report unveiled on Wednesday during the World Health Assembly in Geneva by Africa CDC and Team Europe under the AU-EU Health Partnership.
The report, titled Investing in Health R&D: Africa’s Next Economic Growth Frontier, argues that health innovation could become one of Africa’s strongest economic growth drivers if governments prioritise research funding and local pharmaceutical production.
According to the findings, every one dollar invested in health research and development could generate up to $137 in economic returns if African countries meet the African Union’s target of allocating one percent of GDP to research and development, with 15 percent directed toward health R&D.
Acting Deputy Director-General of Africa CDC, Raji Tajudeen, says the continent must stop depending on imported medical technologies.
“Africa cannot continue importing the technologies that determine the health and economic future of its people,” Tajudeen says. “If we do not own Africa’s health, we do not own Africa’s destiny.”
The report highlights success stories including South Africa’s Afrigen mRNA programme, BioNTech vaccine partnerships in Rwanda, pharmaceutical expansion in Egypt and Kenya’s growing clinical trials sector.
Belgian Ambassador Annelies Verstichel says stronger regional innovation systems will shape future health security and economic resilience across Africa.
Uganda’s Science Minister Musenero Monica Masanza describes health research investment as “economic infrastructure” capable of transforming African economies and retaining skilled scientific talent.
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Mirian Gom 
Korede Abdullah