By 2050, Africa has the potential to be a global leader in healthcare innovation, manufacturing, and delivery. With bold investments, technology-driven solutions, and strategic partnerships, the continent can move from dependency to dominance. This keynote will explore what it takes to build a world-class, self-sustaining healthcare system and how governments, investors, and industry pioneers can shape the future of African healthcare.

Panellists:

• Dr Kevin Massoudi, Vice President, Public Sector Engagement and Business Development for Siemens Healthineers, Middle East and Africa
• Dr Mories Atoki, CEO, ABCHealth, Nigeria
• H.E. Dr. Ibrahima Sy, Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Senegal
• Brian Kevin DeFrancesca, Chief Executive Officer, MAVEN, UAE
• Eyong Ebai, General Manager - Africa, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, UK
• Nyawira Njeru - Regional Director - Africa, HOLOGIC
• H.E Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health, Nigeria

Developing world-class hospitals, clinics, and research hubs requires strong public-private partnerships (PPPs), regulatory frameworks, and investment incentives. This panel will discuss the future of healthcare infrastructure in Africa. This panel will delve into the critical need for robust healthcare infrastructure in Africa, examining innovative financing models, effective public-private partnerships, and the regulatory landscape needed to attract sustainable investment.

Key Discussion Points:

• How can governments and private investors collaborate to finance large-scale healthcare infrastructure projects while ensuring risk mitigation and transparency?

• What best practices can enhance the structuring and management of PPPs in healthcare infrastructure to deliver both investor returns and public health benefits?

Panellists:

• Dr Francis Ohaniyido, Director- General, West African Institute of Public Health, Nigeria
• Dr Lucy Mazyanga, Regional Director - Africa CDC Eastern Africa RCC, Africa CDC, Kenya
• Dr. Ahmed Ogwell, CEO and President, Village Reach, USA
• Dr. Clare Omatseye, Managing Director/CEO, JNC International Limited, Nigeria
• Adeyemi Adewole, Director, Afrenza (A Joint Venture between Fidson Healthcare PLC. and Adcem Healthcare Ltd.), Nigeria
• Jacqueline Acquah (B. Pharm, MPH), Senior Regulatory Affairs Lead, Middle East & Africa, CEPI
• Dr. Hisham Stait, Chairman, Egypt's Unified Procurement Authority (UPA), Egypt

Africa’s dependency on imported pharmaceutical products and medical devices presents both a challenge and an opportunity. This session dives into the prerequisites for building a successful and sustainable local manufacturing ecosystem. We’ll explore how robust regulatory frameworks, strategic policies, and cross-border collaborations can unlock manufacturing capabilities, build capacity, and drive inward investment. Through a mix of policy insights, partnership case studies, and real-world examples, the panel will outline what it really takes to turn Africa into a manufacturing powerhouse.

 Key Discussion Points:

• What foundational regulatory and policy frameworks are needed to anchor local manufacturing?

• How can demand forecasting, volume guarantees, and pooled procurement de-risk investment in African manufacturing?

• How can global partnerships support regulatory alignment and technology transfer?

• What capabilities and capacity-building initiatives must be prioritized to ensure countries are ready for local manufacturing?

Panellists:

• H.E. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister of Health, Ghana                           
• Mokgadi (Lischen) Mashishi, Country Lead for Africa Access Markets, Organon South Africa
• Prof. Sheila Dinotshe Tlou, Co-Chair, Global HIV Prevention Coalition, Ambassador, African Leaders Malaria Alliance, Champion, Nursing Now Challenge, Chancellor, Botswana Open University, Gaborone, Botswana
• Dr Sheila Macharia, Managing Director FP 2030 East and Southern Africa Regional Hub, FP2030,Kenya
• Judith Anyona, Programme Lead, East Africa, Women Lift Health, Kenya
• Dr Roselline Achola (PhD), Technical Specialist SRH/FP/Selfcare, Uganda Ministry of Health, Uganda
• Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director, Nigeria Health Watch, Nigeria

Women’s health is central to Africa’s social and economic development. Yet persistent barriers-from limited access to family planning and SRHR services to underfunded health systems continue to impact progress. This session explores how innovation, collaboration, and strategic investment in family panning can strengthen women’s health outcomes, drive equity, and support sustainable development across the continent.

Key Discussion Points:

• How can African governments and partners intentionally embed SRHR and family planning within national development agendas and UHC priorities to strengthen women’s health and equity?

• What innovative approaches—such as digital tools, policy shifts, community interventions, and affordability mechanisms—are most effective in closing gaps in access to family planning and SRHR services for women and girls?

• How can multisectoral collaboration between government, private sector, and grassroots organizations unlock sustainable financing, drive innovation, and advance progress toward the SDGs?

• How can framing family planning as a development and investment priority accelerate reductions in maternal mortality and ensure inclusive solutions that address youth and continent-wide needs?

Panellists:

• Dr. Tamas Andras Koncz, MD, MSc, PhD, Accord & GCAP Medical Lead, Pfizer
• Dr. Donald Ibe Ofili, Chief Executive Officer, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN)
• Dr Pamela Ajayi, Chairman Bridge Clinic; Founder Pathcare Ng, Former President, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria
• Dr. Szabi Dorotovics, President, Mount Sinai International, USA
• Dr. Modupe Elebute - Odunsi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre and Specialist Hospital, Nigeria
• Dr. Lynda Decker, President, West African Private Healthcare Federation
• Hon. Dr Robert Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou, Minister of Health, Burkina : Faso

Many African patients travel abroad for specialized medical care. This session will examine the strategies needed to develop world-class centres of medical excellence in Africa, reducing medical tourism and enhancing local healthcare capacity.

Key Discussion Points:

• What are the essential components for building and sustaining centres of excellence in specialized medical fields, from infrastructure to talent development?

• What innovative funding models can support the growth of specialized hospitals and attract top medical professionals?

• How can specialized hospitals collaborate with pharma to advance research, precision medicine, and clinical trials?

Panellists:

• Mr Roberto Taboada, General Manager, Nigeria, Network Head, Anglophone West Africa, Roche Diagnostics
• Mrs Uju Rochas-Anwukah, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Nigeria
• Boniface Njenga, Deputy Director, Health Delivery and Systems, Gates Foundation
• Dr Magome Masike, CEO and Registrar, Health Professions Council of South Africa
• Prof Edward Kunonga, Director of Public Health & Wellness, NEOM Health and Wellbeing Authority, Saudi Arabia
• Charles Fordjour, President, Healthcare Federation of Ghana, Ghana
• H.E. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, Minister of Health, Gambia

Over half of Africa’s population lacks access to affordable healthcare, with out-of-pocket spending remaining the dominant form of financing. This session explores sustainable, scalable models to make healthcare more accessible and equitable—from public insurance schemes to value-based care and donor transition strategies. Speakers will share insights on financing innovations that can unlock universal health coverage (UHC) across diverse African contexts.

Key Discussion Points:

• What role can government-led insurance schemes, tax-based models, and performance-based financing play in improving access to care?

• How can donor transitions be managed sustainably while increasing domestic resource mobilization for health

• What blended finance and public-private partnership mechanisms are most effective in expanding healthcare access?

• How can value-based healthcare models be adapted for African systems to reduce inefficiencies and improve outcomes?

• What are practical solutions for financing community-based primary care and reaching rural or low-income populations?

• Summary of key takeaways and investment commitments.