A high-level military delegation from nine African countries has praised Uganda’s Dei BioPharma Ltd pharmaceutical manufacturing facility as a model for the continent’s pursuit of medicine and vaccine self-sufficiency.
The delegation, comprising officers attending war college studies at the Malian Army War College, toured the Dei BioPharma drugs and vaccines manufacturing campus in Matugga, Wakiso District, on Wednesday as part of a strategic study visit to Uganda.
The visit, hosted by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) from July 13 to 17, was aimed at strengthening bilateral military cooperation and defence relations between Uganda and Mali.
The delegation was led by Brigadier General Moussa Yoro Kante, Director of Education of the Mali Defence Forces, and accompanied by Colonel Diallo Belco, Mali’s Defence Attaché to Uganda.
The 36-member delegation included military officers from Mali, Guinea Conakry, Burkina Faso, Niger, Morocco, Togo, Chad, Senegal and Cameroon.
Speaking after touring the facility, Gen. Kante expressed appreciation for the scale of Uganda’s pharmaceutical manufacturing ambitions, saying the project offered valuable lessons for African countries.
“The visit this evening allowed us to see beautiful things. I would like to congratulate Dr. Magoola for everything he is doing in the field of biotechnology,” Gen. Kante said.
He added that what the delegation witnessed at Dei BioPharma was inspiring and would serve as an example for the officers when they return to their respective countries.
“I hope that each of these trainees, upon returning home, will be able to bear witness to what we have seen here at Dei BioPharma. What we are going to take home is the example we saw here,” he said.
Gen. Kante also welcomed plans by Dei BioPharma founder and Managing Director Dr. Matthias Magoola to expand the company’s operations across Africa.
“As Dr. Magoola said, he wants to go everywhere in Africa. We will be very happy to receive him very soon,” he said.
Dr. Magoola said the delegation’s reaction demonstrated the importance of Uganda’s investment in biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“Many had not seen anything like this before. It is humbling, and it shows that what we are doing here will not only uplift the economy of Uganda but Africa at large,” he said.
He said Uganda’s ambition to share pharmaceutical technology with other African countries is driven by a broader Pan-African vision championed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
“Africa does not need to depend on others for vaccine and drug manufacturing. I am operating in that spirit of Pan-Africanism that our president consistently emphasizes,” Dr. Magoola said.
Dr. Magoola identified limited access to advanced technology as the biggest challenge preventing African countries from manufacturing their own medicines.
“Africa currently imports 85 percent of its medicine. Whether in South Africa, Morocco, or Egypt, we all face this dependency because we have lacked the necessary technology,” he said.
He said Dei BioPharma has developed local innovations, secured patents in the United States and built capacity to manufacture vaccines and biological medicines within Uganda.
According to Dr. Magoola, increasing local pharmaceutical production will improve access to affordable medicines while contributing to Africa’s economic transformation.
“Our ultimate vision is to make these biological drugs, which 90 percent of our population currently cannot afford, accessible and affordable. Once we produce them here, we will not only meet local needs but also supply the rest of the continent,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer of Dei BioPharma Ltd, Dr. Chetna Jain, said the visit demonstrated growing recognition of Uganda’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity.
“It shows that what we are doing here is being recognized across Africa. This is a state-of-the-art facility within the African continent, and I do not believe any other state in Africa has anything like it,” she said.
Established in 2014 by Dr. Magoola, Dei BioPharma operates one of Africa’s largest vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing complexes.
The facility, located on more than 250 acres, is designed to manufacture medicines targeting diseases including malaria, HIV and cancer, alongside insulin, monoclonal antibodies and mRNA-based therapeutics.
The flagship plant was inaugurated in July 2021 by President Museveni and former Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto.
The facility comprises multiple manufacturing sections covering biotechnology, injectables, generics, nutraceuticals, oncology, vaccines and other pharmaceutical products.
The company received approval from Uganda’s National Drug Authority (NDA) in May 2024 to begin manufacturing medicines, including non-beta-lactam tablets and hard gelatin capsules.
Dei BioPharma holds more than 100 patents filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and is preparing to manufacture up to one billion doses of mRNA vaccines in line with international standards.
The company has projected the creation of more than 40,000 professional jobs, with government officials describing the facility as a potential driver of economic growth and reduced dependence on imported medicines.
The visit formed part of wider military engagements between Uganda and Mali, with Gen. Kante thanking President Museveni for supporting the training of Malian military personnel.
During a meeting with UPDF officials at the Defence Intelligence and Security Headquarters in Mbuya, UPDF Chief of Joint Staff Lt. Gen. Jack Bakasumba said Uganda and Mali maintain a strong defence partnership under a military training memorandum of understanding.
Under the agreement, 58 Malian officer cadets have been trained by Uganda, while Mali has offered the UPDF 23 training opportunities, including one slot at the Mali War College.
