BioNTech Starts Construction of Africa’s First mRNA Vaccine Manufacturing Plant

With the construction starting for BioNTech’s new plant in Kigali, Rwanda, Africa is finally getting its first mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility. Lower- and middle-income nations have not received enough COVID-19 vaccines since they’ve become available, especially nations in Africa. This new facility comes after over a year and a half of African nations asking for manufacturing rights so they can produce their own supply, requests that were flatly denied by manufacturers headquartered in wealthy nations with an abundance of vaccine stock.

According to, “According to BioNTech, the facility will be around 30,000 square meters and will be initially equipped with two BioNTainers, or modular shipping containers that are equipped for mRNA production. For the Kigali facility, one container will be used to produce mRNA, with another to produce the formulated bulk drug product. The facility will also be equipped to manufacture a range of mRNA-based vaccines targeted to the needs of African Union member states, which could include the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine and BioNTech’s investigational malaria and tuberculosis vaccines if the vaccines are approved or authorized by regulatory authorities.”

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(Source: Endpoints News, June 23^rd, 2022)