African Medicines Agency Launches Two Hubs to Strengthen Drug Regulation and Manufacturing

November 7, 2026 | By Semahegn Nigatu

The African Medicines Agency (AMA) has launched two regulatory hubs and inaugurated seven technical committees as it marks its first year of operations, stepping up efforts to harmonise medical-product regulation and support local pharmaceutical manufacturing across the continent.

The initiatives were announced during the agency’s inaugural AMA Week, held from October 25 to 30, 2026, in Kigali, Rwanda, under the theme "Building Africa’s Regulatory Future Together: From National Strength to Continental Impact".

The two hubs, established at the agency’s headquarters in Kigali, are designed to strengthen regulatory expertise and improve engagement between regulators, researchers and manufacturers.

The Capacity Strengthening Hub will support the development of regulatory skills and expertise within national medicines regulatory authorities and regional bodies.

The Regulatory Innovation and Manufacturing Readiness Hub will provide a platform for early engagement between regulators, researchers and manufacturers, helping product developers understand regulatory requirements and generate the evidence needed to bring quality-assured medical products to market.

The agency also inaugurated seven Technical Committees on October 26, bringing together African experts to provide independent scientific advice across key areas of medical-product regulation.

"The Technical Committees have been entrusted with a highly important mission, which is to help build a regulatory system that is efficient, coherent, transparent and at the service of the population," said Yossounon Chabi, chair of the AMA Governing Board.

AMA Director-General Delese Mimi Darko said the agency's approach was based on sharing scientific expertise among national regulatory authorities to improve access to quality medical products.

"Africa’s strength lies in the expertise of its national authorities. By sharing that expertise and relying on each other’s work, we can bring quality medical products to patients faster across the continent," she said.

AMA became operational in October 2025 with a mandate to coordinate and strengthen regulatory systems across Africa. It seeks to reduce duplication in regulatory processes, support joint assessments and encourage national authorities to rely on trusted scientific evaluations.

The agency operates alongside national regulators, which retain responsibility for granting marketing authorisations for medical products.

Fragmented regulatory requirements across African markets can increase costs and delay the introduction of medical products, particularly for manufacturers seeking to supply several countries. AMA's coordination efforts are intended to address these challenges while maintaining standards for product quality, safety and efficacy.

The inaugural AMA Week also included Manufacturing and Innovation Day on October 25, bringing together manufacturers, investors, regulators, academics and patient representatives to discuss local production, technology transfer and regulatory pathways.

The programme concluded with the 11th African Medicines Regulators Conference, co-convened with the World Health Organization on October 29 and 30. The conference focused on cooperation, regulatory reliance and trust among African regulatory institutions.

As it enters its second year, AMA plans to advance the work of its technical committees, implement programmes through the two hubs, strengthen safety monitoring and deepen cooperation with national authorities and regional bodies.

Source: FSX Business News