Ghana's National Biosafety Authority pushes for stronger oversight to support vaccine hub plans

CEO Kwame Dei Asamoah Okyere said Ghana must urgently strengthen its biosafety regulatory framework to realise the country's ambition to become Sub‑Saharan Africa’s leading hub for vaccine research, development and manufacturing. Speaking at a workshop on 30 July 2026, he highlighted the need for specialised oversight of modern biopharmaceuticals such as viral‑vector vaccines, gene therapies and biosimilars, and noted a partnership with the Food and Drugs Authority that draws on best practices from the EU, the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany and the Netherlands.

The National Biosafety Authority also submitted Ghana’s Fifth National Report on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, covering 2019 to February 2026. The report shows the authority has moved from a paper framework to an operating regulator, answering 92 % of protocol questions, issuing nine biosafety guidelines, making 22 regulatory decisions on GM imports, training over 100 risk‑assessment professionals and approving 14 genetically modified events in 2024. The NBA is now providing capacity‑building support to neighbouring Malawi, signalling a shift from a recipient to a regional provider of biosafety expertise.