China will build Africa’s first insulin production plant in Nigeria, Chinese state media reported, in a landmark deal that would allow the west African nation to enter the booming insulin industry as diabetes rates surge across the continent.
The initiative also marks a deepening of China-Nigeria ties. Beijing’s ambassador to Nigeria Yu Dunhai said Chinese companies are in talks with Nigerian authorities to construct a production facility, “positioning Nigeria as a hub for African medical biotechnology.”
A new study published in The Lancet projected that Type 2 diabetes cases in sub-Saharan Africa would more than double to nearly 55 million by 2045, driven by the shifting diets and decline in physical activity also seen in other parts of the world. In February, policymakers, academics, and philanthropists gathered in Kigali to discuss the rise of noncommunicable diseases, with Type 2 diabetes emerging as a particular concern.
The new facility is “expected to lower treatment costs” and “expand access to life-saving diabetes medication,” China Daily reported. Only 5-10% of those estimated to have diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa are receiving treatment due to the high cost of medication, according to a recent study.
