The Government of Ghana and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 21, 2026, in Accra to formalise Ghana’s participation in the mechanism.

The agreement was signed by the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, and the Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya.

The APPM is a continental market-shaping and pooled procurement mechanism established under African Union decisions. It seeks to aggregate demand across African countries and create a structured market for quality-assured health products, vaccines and medical equipment produced on the continent.

For Ghanaian manufacturers, the arrangement provides a pathway to supply products to all 55 African Union member states through the Africa CDC’s demand aggregation system.

Expanding Market Opportunities for Local Manufacturers

The National Vaccine Institute (NVI) says the mechanism could help address one of the major constraints facing local manufacturers: the limited size of Ghana’s domestic market.

The APPM is expected to create expanded and more predictable demand for African-made products, potentially improving the viability of investments in local vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

According to the NVI, predictable continental demand could provide local manufacturers with a stronger market base for products such as vaccines and essential medical supplies.

Chief Executive Officer of the NVI, Dr Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, described the agreement as a defining moment for Ghana’s vaccine industry.

“This is a defining moment for Ghana and for the NVI. For years, our local manufacturers have been constrained by a market of 33 million. With APPM, we now have access to a market of 1.4 billion Africans.”

He said the agreement supports President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of making Ghana a regional hub for vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Giving Effect to Presidential Commitment

Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the agreement gives practical effect to a commitment made by President John Dramani Mahama at the Ghana Vaccines Manufacturing Investment Forum held in Accra in August 2025.

“This MoU gives practical effect to the commitment of H. E. President John Dramani Mahama at the Ghana Vaccines Manufacturing Investment Forum held in Accra in August 2025.”

The Minister said the President had directed reforms to prioritise locally produced vaccines and pharmaceuticals in public procurement.

He added that the President had also pledged to support Ghanaian producers to access regional markets and participate in the APPM.

According to the Minister, Ghana’s participation in the APPM will be complemented by efforts to establish an Advance Purchase Commitment system aimed at de-risking investments in local manufacturing.

Market for Locally Manufactured Vaccines and Antisera

Dr Sodzi-Tettey said Ghana would have a ready continental market when it manufactures Tetanus Diphtheria vaccines and Anti-tetanus Serum in 2026.

He also cited snake venom antiserum, which the NVI says was already manufactured in 2025, as another product with potential for continental market access.

The NVI said access to predictable demand through the APPM could help strengthen the business case for continued investment in vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing in Ghana.

FDA to Retain Regulatory Authority

Despite Ghana’s participation in the continental procurement arrangement, the country’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) will retain regulatory control over products supplied through the mechanism.

The MoU reaffirms the FDA’s exclusive authority over marketing authorisation, import control, batch release and post-market surveillance of relevant health products.

This regulatory arrangement is expected to ensure that products supplied through the APPM meet Ghana’s applicable safety, quality and regulatory requirements.

November Regional Meeting to Advance Implementation

The NVI and Africa CDC will begin operationalising Ghana’s participation in the APPM at a Regional Meeting on the APPM to be hosted in Accra in November 2026.

The meeting is expected to bring together political leaders, policymakers, regulators, manufacturers and procurement agencies to agree on the APPM Supply Catalogue, technical specifications and implementation arrangements.

Dr Sodzi-Tettey said the NVI was committed to ensuring that the November meeting produces practical outcomes that directly support Ghana’s manufacturing sector.

Ghana’s participation in the APPM marks a significant step towards expanding the market for locally manufactured vaccines and pharmaceutical products and advancing the country’s ambition to become a regional hub for health-product manufacturing.