The German biotech company BioNTech is taking a groundbreaking step in the fight for global vaccine equity by establishing Africa’s first commercial mRNA manufacturing facility in Rwanda. This initiative, however, goes beyond just one production site. As Uğur Şahin, co-founder of BioNTech, emphasized during the opening ceremony, “We want to establish an entire ecosystem for vaccinations in Africa.”

The need for such an ecosystem became starkly apparent during the coronavirus pandemic, which highlighted the devastating impact of the lack of vaccine infrastructure in Africa. BioNTech, once a small, research-focused company based in Mainz, rose to international prominence through its collaboration with Pfizer in developing a highly effective mRNA vaccine against COVID-19. However, the pandemic also exposed the global disparities in vaccine distribution, with demand far outstripping the production capacities of the few companies involved, leading to widespread criticism from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

In response, BioNTech committed to working with African governments and experts to build an African vaccine production chain. The construction of the facility in Kigali, Rwanda, marks the first step in fulfilling this promise. With an investment of 150 million euros, the plant is expected to be operational by 2025, employing 100 highly skilled workers. This facility is not only a milestone but also a pilot project. Once it is successfully up and running, BioNTech plans to expand its efforts with additional factories across Africa, potentially with even greater commercial capacities.

Germany is playing a supportive role in this endeavor, contributing nearly 36 million euros to the training of skilled workers and the strengthening of Rwanda’s regulatory authority. Further investments will be made to expand vaccine production capacities in other African countries. In recognition of these efforts, Rwandan President Paul Kagame referred to this initiative in December 2023 as an international “democratization” of vaccine production.

Through this bold and visionary project, BioNTech is helping to pave the way toward a future where vaccine access is more equitable and where the health of populations is not determined by geography but by shared global commitment.

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