BioNTech hails key step in building Rwanda mRNA vaccine hub

German manufacturer BioNTech said on Monday it had completed a key step in setting up its first vaccine production hub in Africa aiming to boost access to mRNA jabs on the continent. The pharmaceutical company said it had set up a production unit to make vaccines for protection against various diseases in Africa.

The facility in the Rwandan capital Kigali is made from recycled shipping containers and sits on 35,000 square meters of land. BioNTech said it expected to finish building the factory in 2024 and begin operations the following year. Rwanda will distribute the vaccines to the 55-member African Union bloc.