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GSK announces new strategic investments in Africa to increase access to medicines, build capacity and deliver sustainable growth
…Creates world’s first R&D Open Lab to increase understanding of non-communicable diseases and support development of new medicines for Africa
…Significantly increases African manufacturing presence to build capacity and enhance regional self sufficiency
…Establishes 25 academic Chairs at African universities to support development of local skills and capabilities in science, engineering, public health and other related areas
…Commits to train an additional 10,000 community healthworkers across sub-Saharan Africa
LONDON – GSK today announced a series of new investments in sub-Saharan Africa designed to address pressing health needs and contribute to long-term business growth.
Speaking at the 5th EU-Africa Business Forum in Brussels, GSK CEO Sir Andrew Witty set out the company’s intent to partner with governments of African countries to help stimulate more research into chronic diseases, increase capacity by localising medicines supply and strengthen healthcare infrastructure.
This will see GSK make targeted investments of up to £130 million in Africa over the next five years, creating at least 500 jobs and contributing to the development of home-grown capabilities and skills in Africa. This builds on GSK’s existing business base in sub-Saharan Africa, which currently employs around 1,500 people in over 40 countries, including at three existing local manufacturing sites in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
Speaking at the meeting, Andrew Witty said: “Today, we are setting out further steps to tackle Africa’s dual health burden of infectious and emerging non-communicable diseases and help build crucial capacity to underpin the development of the healthcare sector in the region. We have a unique opportunity to deliver meaningful social and economic value to all of the communities we work in – using our scientific expertise and our global reach to develop innovative medicines and deliver them to people who need them around the world.
“With global attention focused on how we support development beyond 2015, now is the moment for business to play a more active role in contributing to a more prosperous future in Africa, investing in infrastructure, building skills and capability to unlock human potential and create jobs. Our long-term goal is to equip Africa to discover, develop and produce the medicines required for Africa.”
Supporting the development of new medicines for Africa
GSK will invest £25 million to create the world’s first R&D Open Lab for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa. This builds on the success of GSK’s Open Lab in Tres Cantos, Spain which gives independent researchers access to GSK facilities, resources and knowledge to help them advance their own research projects into diseases of the developing world such as malaria, tuberculosis and leishmaniasis.
The new R&D Open Lab for NCDs in Africa will see GSK scientists collaborate with research and scientific centres across Africa from its hub at GSK’s Stevenage R&D facility in the UK to conduct high quality epidemiological, genetic and interventional research to increase understanding of NCDs in Africa. An independent governing board of leading scientists and clinicians will oversee the implementation of NCD research projects within a dynamic and networked open innovation environment.
The open lab aims to improve understanding of NCD variations seen in the Africa setting, which could include for example the apparent higher prevalence of treatment-resistant hypertension and aggressive breast cancers in younger women. It is hoped that these insights will inform prevention and treatment strategies and will enable researchers across academia and industry to discover and develop new medicines to address the specific needs of African patients.
The open lab will directly support the training and education of African scientific researchers who will participate in a portfolio of projects, building local expertise, creating a new generation of African NCD experts while instilling a deep vein of ‘African thinking’ within GSK’s own R&D organisation.
Forming innovative partnerships to transform medicines supply in Africa
Over the next five years, GSK will look to partner with a number of African countries to develop domestic manufacturing capacity and capability. This will see GSK invest up to £100m to expand its existing manufacturing capability in Nigeria and Kenya and build up to five new factories in Africa. The company is currently reviewing possible locations in countries including Rwanda, Ghana and Ethiopia and the selected sites will be announced in due course and subject to Government agreement.
The new facilities will be built to globally recognised good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards and will make locally relevant products such as antibiotics and respiratory and HIV medicines (on behalf of ViiV Healthcare). The initial focus will be on secondary manufacture with the aim to transfer the technology, skills and knowledge needed to enable the local manufacture of more complex products over time. The factories will create a network of localised industry and local employment for a highly skilled workforce drawn from surrounding communities.
To support the scale-up of domestic manufacturing and supply, GSK will establish up to 25 academic Chairs at local African universities in related areas such as pharmaceutical sciences, public health, engineering and logistics. These roles will facilitate the development of new courses as well as internships and student exchanges, and will be pivotal to ensuring manufacturing capability is locked into the continent to help attract further manufacturing investment.
GSK is also taking steps to improve and simplify its supply chain with the creation of regional supply hubs that will help to reduce stock shortages and local supply partnerships to enable more GSK products and medicines to reach under-served rural communities in Africa. These steps will help reduce Africa’s reliance on imported medicines, improving the security of supply and reducing production costs and transportation which in time should help contribute to lower prices.
Creating a tailored portfolio of medicines to address Africa-specific health needs GSK will also optimise its portfolio of medicines for NCDs by working in collaboration with its local partner, Aspen, and with regulators to increase the registration of medicines and vaccines in its existing portfolio, such as its Amoxil antibiotic and its Ventolin respiratory medicine, where not already available.
At the same time, the company continues to work to develop new products designed to meet the specific needs of Africa, for example through its ongoing work with partners to develop the world’s first vaccine against malaria and to create new nutritional products fortified with micro-nutrients to tackle childhood malnourishment.
Playing a part in strengthening healthcare systems
GSK will also increase its support for community health worker training, in recognition of the vital role they play in delivering basic healthcare to many communities. As part of its initiative to reinvest 20% of any profits generated in LDCs back into strengthening healthcare infrastructure in those countries, GSK is already supporting the training of 15,000 healthcare workers with its NGO partners by the end of 2014.
GSK’s commitment to healthcare worker training will now be expanded to include low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the next three years, GSK will partner with charities to help train and upskill 10,000 community healthcare workers across Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria under the umbrella of the One Million Community Health Worker campaign, a UN-led initiative directed by Professor Jeffrey Sachs. The investment will be targeted at supporting the most remote and marginalised communities to help address healthcare inequalities that exist even in fast-growing countries.
These changes build on steps taken by GSK over the past six years to modernise its business model and help improve access to medicines in developing countries. This has seen the company cap the prices of its patented medicines at no more than 25% of developed world prices and reinvest 20% of any profit made back into training healthcare workers in the world’s poorest countries and pursue open innovation models for diseases of the developing world.
Nigeria’s victorious U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, have returned to Abuja following their historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The team arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in the early hours of Monday, where they were received by officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and supporters.
The Flamingos made history on Saturday after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final to win their maiden FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup title, becoming the first African team to lift the trophy.
Goals from Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku secured the historic victory for Nigeria, capping an impressive campaign by the young players.
SEE ALSO: Tinubu Hails Flamingos After Historic World Cup Final Qualification, Urges Team to Win Trophy
The triumph followed another successful outing at the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire, where the Flamingos recorded five victories from five matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding just once.
Head coach Hakeem Busari has described the team’s achievement as the outcome of sustained development, resilience and tactical discipline.
Speaking after the final, Busari said the performance of African teams at the tournament reflected the growing quality and competitiveness of women’s football on the continent.
“What we are seeing now is not a fluke. It is about development, it is about character, and it is about fighting from the beginning to really get it right. So we are elated and happy,” he said.
The coach also explained that his technical crew carefully studied Japan’s playing style before the final, particularly the team’s ability to win second balls and exploit spaces behind defensive lines.
He said the Flamingos adjusted their approach to limit Japan’s attacking opportunities, describing the encounter as a tactical contest that required collective defending, discipline and effective game management.
Busari expressed optimism that more African teams would progress to the latter stages of future editions of the competition.
Tinubu Congratulates Flamingos
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Flamingos on their historic achievement, describing the victory as a proud moment for Nigeria and a landmark for African women’s football.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the President said he received the news following his return from campaign engagements in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.
“What wonderful news to return home to! Our young girls have conquered the world and given Nigerians everywhere another reason to celebrate our great country.
“To our gallant Flamingos, I say congratulations. You have shown courage, discipline, determination and the Nigerian spirit of never giving up,” Tinubu said.
The President recalled that the players had promised to bring the trophy home following their semi-final victory, commending them for fulfilling their promise.
He particularly applauded Bashiru and Umejiaku for scoring the decisive goals, while praising the entire squad for their teamwork and determination throughout the tournament.
Tinubu also congratulated the coaching crew, the Nigeria Football Federation and the National Sports Commission for their contributions to the historic success.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to grassroots sports development and expanding opportunities for young Nigerians, particularly girls, to discover and develop their sporting potential.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against what it described as a dangerous attempt to weaken the opposition through judicial controversies, following a judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, affecting the party’s leadership and the candidacy of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The party alleged that the judgment, which reportedly sacked the Senator David Mark-led leadership and invalidated Atiku’s candidacy, was a desperate attempt to undermine the opposition and deny Nigerians the right to freely choose their leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections.
SEE ALSO: Atiku Raises Alarm Over Attacks on Sowore, ADC Governorship Candidate, Accuses APC of Intimidation
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Thursday, the ADC linked the timing of the judgment to the massive turnout at its presidential campaign rally in Sokoto, which took place barely 24 hours earlier.
The party claimed that the rally, which attracted thousands of supporters, had triggered panic within the ruling APC and accelerated the delivery of the judgment.
“We have reasons to believe that the judgment had long been written on this case. The Sokoto rally was simply a trigger that stampeded its delivery,” the statement read.
The ADC argued that the judgment went beyond the political ambitions of Atiku and David Mark, warning that its implications could affect thousands of candidates seeking elective positions at the local, state and federal levels.
It maintained that the development threatened the democratic rights of Nigerians and the participation of opposition candidates in the forthcoming elections.
The party also questioned the legal basis of the judgment, citing an earlier ruling by Justice Musa Liman of the same Federal High Court, delivered on July 2, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025.
According to the ADC, the earlier judgment affirmed the legitimacy of the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the leadership.
The party argued that a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over, review, vary or nullify the subsisting judgment of another court of equal jurisdiction.
It said it would challenge the latest judgment through every available judicial process, adding that it was awaiting the Certified True Copy (CTC) to establish its precise terms, scope and operative orders.
The ADC further accused the APC of using judicial processes to frustrate opposition parties whenever they gained political momentum.
Warning against what it described as an attempt to eliminate political competition, the party said the peace and stability of Nigeria should not be sacrificed for the political ambitions of any individual or party.
“We warn the APC: do not play with fires you cannot control. The peace and stability of Nigeria are bigger than the ambition of any president or political party,” the statement added.
The party also challenged President Bola Tinubu and the APC to submit themselves to a free and fair electoral contest if they were confident in their performance and popularity.
“Nigeria belongs to Nigerians, not to the APC. The presidency is not an inheritance. If the President thinks he has performed well in office, why is he afraid of competition?” the ADC asked.
The controversy comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the court judgment raising fresh questions about the ADC’s leadership and the status of candidates contesting under its platform.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has charged newly appointed Confederation of African Football (CAF) General Secretary, Samson Adamu, to protect and promote Nigeria’s interests while advancing the development of African football.
Shettima gave the charge on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when he received Adamu, who was accompanied by a delegation led by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko.
SEE ALSO: Sanwo-Olu Pledges Full Support as Lagos Prepares to Host 2026 CAF Awards
The Vice President congratulated Adamu on his appointment, describing his emergence as the first Nigerian to occupy the position in CAF’s 70-year history as a significant achievement for the country.
Conveying President Bola Tinubu’s goodwill, Shettima urged Adamu to approach his new responsibilities with integrity, diligence and a strong sense of national pride.
“The President is proud of you, Samson Adamu. Go and do a yo-man’s job. Go and promote, protect and project and preserve the interest of the Nigerian nation,” he said.
Shettima described football as an important instrument of national unity, noting that the sport brings Nigerians together irrespective of their differences.
“Anytime Nigeria plays, it tends to subsume all other identities. Football and sports generally is a source of unity for our country. What binds us together superseded whatever divides us,” he stated.
He attributed Nigeria’s achievements in sports to the quality of its people and the contributions of administrators, coaches, talent scouts and institutions responsible for identifying and developing sporting talents.
The Vice President also recalled the achievements of Nigerian football legends, including Rashidi Yekini, Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha and Finidi George, noting that their successes were supported by individuals and institutions that nurtured their abilities.
Earlier, Dikko thanked President Tinubu and the Federal Government for supporting sports development, saying the administration’s commitment had strengthened Nigeria’s international sporting profile and created opportunities for investment through sports.
He described Adamu’s appointment as a major milestone for Nigerian sports administration and disclosed that the Federal Government had approved Nigeria’s hosting of the CAF General Assembly in November and the CAF Awards in December 2026.
In his remarks, Adamu expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for its support, describing his appointment as a source of national pride.
He pledged to use his experience as CAF’s former Director of Competitions to strengthen the continental body’s administration and advance African football.
Adamu also promised to support Nigeria’s efforts to harness its football talents and maximise its potential in continental and global sports.
He was appointed CAF General Secretary on Sunday, November 1, 2026, following a recruitment exercise by the continental football governing body. He is expected to oversee CAF’s day-to-day administration.
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