Kenya Plans to Make Half Its Essential Medicines Locally by 2028

Kenya has unveiled an ambitious five-year blueprint to manufacture at least half of its essential medicines domestically by 2028, moving decisively to reduce its dependence on pharmaceutical imports that cost the country nearly KSh 100 billion annually.

A Strategy Born of Strategic Urgency

The Health Products and Technologies Local Manufacturing Strategy 2026-2030, launched on June 28, 2026, represents a structured government response to one of Kenya's most consequential strategic vulnerabilities. Kenya's pharmaceutical sector already has more than 37 licensed pharmaceutical manufacturers. Yet domestic manufacturers currently supply only 20 to 30 percent of the medicines consumed within Kenya's borders.

Targets, Timelines, and Tools

The strategy sets a headline milestone: local manufacturers must account for 50 percent of products on the Kenya Essential Medicines List by 2028. Public procurement rules will give explicit preference to domestically manufactured health products. The Kenya Development Corporation will expand pharmaceutical financing.

Challenges That Remain

Reaching the 50 percent target will require overcoming deeply entrenched structural challenges. Local manufacturers face higher unit costs compared with competitors in India and China. Active pharmaceutical ingredients are almost entirely imported into Kenya, exposing domestic producers to the same supply chain vulnerabilities the strategy aims to eliminate.