Ghana Launches Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Policy to Reverse 70% Import Dependence, Targets 60% Local Production Within Five Years

Ghana has taken a significant step toward overhauling its healthcare and industrial landscape with the launch of the Ghana Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Policy (GPMP), a Cabinet-approved framework aimed at reversing the country's 70% dependence on imported medicines by building a sustainable, competitive, and integrated pharmaceutical ecosystem.

The policy, approved by Cabinet in July 2026 and launched on October 28 at the Africa Trade House in Accra, seeks to raise the share of locally manufactured medicines from approximately 30% to 60% within five years, while also doubling the value of pharmaceutical exports to Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) markets .

The Import Burden

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Bernice Makafui Brempong, Presidential Coordinator for the Ghana Pharmaceutical Hub and Senior Executive in charge of Investments in Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals at the Office of the President, described the policy as a strategic framework to address longstanding challenges including access to finance, infrastructure, and raw materials.

"This achievement is central to President John Dramani Mahama's vision of positioning Ghana as a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in Africa," Dr. Brempong stated .

The numbers underscore the urgency. Ghana's pharmaceutical imports have risen sharply over the past decade. Dr. Lucia Addae, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (GPMA), noted that ten years ago the import bill was approximately $250 million. "Today, that figure sits a little over $750 million," she said . The country continues to produce only about 30% of the medicines it needs domestically, while relying almost entirely on imports for active pharmaceutical ingredients .

President Mahama has set an even more ambitious target: at least 70% of medicines consumed in Ghana's health system should be produced locally within five years. "We've come up with a five-year plan to make sure that we reverse that, and that at least 70 per cent of the medicines we consume must be produced locally in Ghana," the President stated at the 28th Annual International Conference of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa in August .

The Ghana Pharmaceutical Hub

Central to the policy's implementation is the Ghana Pharmaceutical Hub, a presidential national legacy initiative under the New Economy Programme. The Hub is designed to bring manufacturers, input suppliers, research facilities, and shared infrastructure together to create an integrated ecosystem where manufacturers can thrive.

Dr. Brempong noted that while previous administrations provided financial support to local manufacturers, experience has shown that financial backing alone is insufficient. "Our ambition is to build an ecosystem where manufacturers can thrive," she said, pointing to Section 7.7 of the new policy, which identifies a purpose-built pharmaceutical park or hub as a "top priority of the Government" .

The proposed Phase 2 of the Hub, to be located in the Central Region, will focus on producing active pharmaceutical ingredients, herbal medicines, and raw materials. It will also include local production of excipients such as pharmaceutical-grade corn starch, corn syrup, and ethyl alcohol, strengthening the link between agriculture and pharmaceutical manufacturing .

Contract manufacturing will be a crucial component of the Hub, allowing smaller companies to utilize shared, ready-to-use facilities. "Not every pharmaceutical company can afford to build its own manufacturing facility," Dr. Brempong noted. "Through shared infrastructure, the Hub seeks to lower these barriers" .

The Hub is also expected to address a critical skills gap by equipping clinical pharmacists with the skills needed for industrial pharmacy careers, creating opportunities for Ghana's approximately 1,600 unemployed pharmacists .

Complementary Initiatives

The policy launch coincides with several complementary initiatives. The Legon Pharmaceutical Innovation Park (LePIP), a flagship project under the 24-Hour Economy Programme, is planned on 2,000 acres at the Osudoku/Ningo Prampram enclave in the Greater Accra Region. Its first phase, a 40-hectare manufacturing platform, is projected to create more than 3,000 direct jobs, with an estimated 30,000 additional jobs expected in subsequent phases .

Additionally, the Trade Ministry has rolled out the PharmaVax Programme with support from the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, including a grant of €415,437.78. The programme aims to increase the share of locally manufactured pharmaceutical products from 30% to 60% by 2030 .

Ghana has also signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to join the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism, providing Ghanaian manufacturers with a structured pathway to supply quality-assured health products to African Union member states .

Industry Response

Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, CEO of the National Vaccine Institute, described the policy as the foundation for an "integrated ecosystem" strategy, noting that it serves as a direct answer to questions posed by Development Finance Institutions when seeking capital for local manufacturers.

"When we approach these entities, a few questions are thrown back at us: How supportive is government of these initiatives? I can confidently respond and say Ghana has a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Policy which articulates in clear concrete terms, the support that government is providing for the sector," he said .

Dr. Addae of the GPMA welcomed the policy but called for affordable long-term financing. "Our biggest challenge has been affordable financing — we need long-term financing at single-digit rates. That is fundamental for the kind of investment needed to expand production and move from consumers to producers," she said .

The policy's success will depend on implementation. As Dr. Brempong put it: "Let us move from policy to implementation, from ambition to investment, and from dependence to greater domestic productive capacity" .