Tanzania is accelerating efforts to position itself as a regional healthcare manufacturing hub as the government expands local pharmaceutical production, medical device manufacturing and domestic health commodity supply chains.
The drive is aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on imported medicines and healthcare products while attracting investment into the sector. The growing manufacturing capacity is also helping reshape healthcare trade across East Africa by creating opportunities for regional partnerships and market expansion.
The development comes amid a broader shift across East Africa, where governments are strengthening healthcare systems, building more resilient supply chains and promoting regional cooperation.
Tanzania’s expanding manufacturing capabilities complement Kenya’s established role as a logistics and distribution gateway, creating a more interconnected healthcare market in which manufacturers, distributors, hospital groups and investors can reach multiple markets more efficiently.
The growing opportunities are being supported by rising demand for healthcare services and technologies across the region. East Africa’s health and wellness market was estimated at USD 16.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 23.6 billion by 2034.
Meanwhile, the region’s hospitals market is forecast to reach USD 9.25 billion, while the pharmaceuticals market is estimated at USD 2.39 billion in 2025, highlighting the expanding commercial opportunities in healthcare delivery, procurement, diagnostics and medical technologies.
Against this backdrop, healthcare stakeholders from East Africa and beyond are expected to converge in Nairobi for the 10th edition of WHX Nairobi, formerly known as Medic East Africa, scheduled for September 16–18, 2026, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Held under the patronage of Kenya’s Ministry of Health, the exhibition is expected to bring together manufacturers, distributors, healthcare providers, procurement specialists, logistics companies and policymakers to explore new technologies, forge partnerships and support healthcare growth across Africa.
Organisers expect more than 5,500 attendees, with international participants accounting for about 40 per cent. The event is also projected to feature more than 200 exhibitors from over 30 countries, alongside a 22 per cent year-on-year increase in exhibitor participation.
The exhibition floor is expected to expand to 4,500 square metres, representing an 81 per cent increase from the previous edition. The 2025 event generated an estimated USD 84.19 million in business.
“East Africa’s healthcare sector is becoming increasingly interconnected as countries invest in local manufacturing while strengthening regional trade and distribution networks,” said Tom Coleman, Portfolio Director – Healthcare at inD.
“Tanzania’s growing focus on pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, together with Kenya’s established logistics infrastructure, is creating new opportunities for businesses to expand across the region,” he said.
Coleman added that stronger regional collaboration would be critical to improving access to medicines, medical technologies and healthcare services for millions of people across East Africa.
The 2026 exhibition will showcase innovations across eight key sectors, including medical devices and equipment, imaging and diagnostics, laboratory technology, orthopaedics and physiotherapy, healthcare infrastructure, IT and digital health, healthcare services, and medical consumables.
As healthcare systems across East Africa continue to evolve, the event is expected to provide a platform for advancing partnerships, technology transfer and investment while supporting the development of more resilient and interconnected healthcare systems across the region.
