The partnership will strengthen the planning, delivery, and sustainability of the Africa CDC International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA) and other flagship public health convenings at a time of heightened demand for coordinated health leadership across the continent.

Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya and Informa Markets President for Middle East, India, Türkiye & Africa Mr Peter Hall signed the agreement, which combines Africa CDC’s scientific leadership with Informa’s global expertise in large-scale event management.

The goal is to enhance the quality, reach, and long-term sustainability of Africa’s premier public health platforms.

“This partnership reinforces Africa CDC’s commitment to strengthening continental ownership of public health priorities,” said Dr Kaseya.

“CPHIA has become a critical forum for African experts and leaders to set the continent’s health security agenda. Informa Markets’ support will help expand the conference’s reach and impact while preserving Africa CDC’s full scientific, strategic, and convening leadership.”

Under this partnership, Africa CDC reinforces the institution’s central role in advancing continental priorities, including its 2023–2027 Strategic Plan and the Africa Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) agenda.

Informa Markets, a global leader in exhibitions and organiser of World Health Expo, will leverage its global reach, industry expertise and experience to elevate CPHIA’s scale, visibility and impact across Africa and internationally.   

Peter Hall, president for Middle East, India, Türkiye & Africa at Informa Markets, added:

“This partnership reflects a strong alignment of vision between Informa Markets and Africa CDC. Drawing on over 50 years’ experience delivering trusted global healthcare events, Informa Markets is proud to support CPHIA’s continued growth. Together, we will ensure CPHIA 2026 delivers lasting value for Africa’s public health ecosystem”.

Since its inaugural edition in December 2021, Africa CDC has convened four editions of CPHIA, each building momentum as the continent’s leading forum for public health dialogue, policy alignment, and scientific exchange.

The conference has brought together Heads of State, Ministers of Health, researchers, frontline health workers, private-sector leaders, and global institutions, cementing CPHIA’s role as a central platform for shaping Africa’s public health agenda.

The fifth edition, CPHIA 2026, will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with thousands of delegates expected to attend.

Through this collaboration, Afreximbank has committed a US$ 2 billion facility to the “Africa Health Security Investment Plan” to support the health product manufacturing ambition of the continent.

This initiative will focus on the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM) and the Platform for Harmonized African Health Products Manufacturing (PHAHM).

This initiative is pivotal in addressing Africa’s health investment challenges, promoting economic development, and strengthening health security across the continent.

It also intends to complement GAVI’s innovative financing mechanism, the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA) which is set to provide up to USD 2 billion financing to African manufacturers of health and pharmaceutical products over the next ten years.

African pharmaceutical companies face severe impacts of the global health, security and economic challenges, yet they are the drivers of investments and technology advancements that the health sector needs.

Low investor confidence, lack of appropriate infrastructure, trade related barriers, and regulatory challenges are some of the constraints to investment in Africa’s health sector.

While funds might be available, many potential investments do not materialize due to financial and non-financial obstacles.

Coordinated efforts at the continental level are essential to reverse this trend and align with the New Public Health Order.

Closing the investment gap will be crucial to achieving the African Union’s ambition of manufacturing 60% of vaccines needed locally by the year 2040 as well as implementing all other countermeasures necessary to ensure self-reliance especially during crises such as pandemics and outbreaks.

While commenting on the signing, Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank said:

“We are pleased to be part of yet another momentous event that will change the course of health security in Africa. This facility will help strengthen the manufacturing of health and pharmaceutical products in Africa through our comprehensive and existing interventions such as Project Preparation funding, Project and Trade Finance as well as Guarantees. Furthermore, we intend to put our full weight behind this facility with equity investments through our subsidiary FEDA – the Fund for Export Development into Africa.”

“Today is a big day for African vaccine manufacturing as well as health products manufacturing in general, as we welcome these major investment announcements that will change the face of health products manufacturing in Africa for years to come. Protecting our future, means investing in our ability to achieve self-reliance on all health countermeasures; vital to accomplish our mission of safeguarding Africa’s health” said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General, Africa CDC.

The “Africa Health Security Investment Plan” will allow Afreximbank to support and finance key health projects identified by the Africa CDC.

The joint effort combines institutional and financial resources, financial tools such as equity and debt financing, guarantees, venture capital, capacity building, and risk-sharing to boost and attract more health investments in Africa.

The ‘Africa Health Security Investment Plan’ is built on three key pillars:

1. Technical Assistance and Advisory Services: A single-entry point for health project preparation and implementation, with capacity-building support from the Africa CDC.
2. Investment Project Pipeline: A clear, forward-looking list of health investment projects in Africa, accessible through Afreximbank Project Portal.
3. Regulatory and Normative Support: implementing programs to remove bottlenecks and create a conducive environment for trade and investment, guided by the Technical Steering Committee of Africa CDC- AfCFTA.

The Africa Health Security Investment aims to tackle Africa’s health investment challenges, promote economic growth, and enhance health security across the continent.