The A.H.E.A.D Africa HealthTech Conference brought together Africa’s foremost healthcare innovators and policymakers to address the continent’s most pressing healthcare challenges. Through keynote addresses, panel discussions, and fireside conversations, industry leaders explored collaborative pathways toward building resilient, technology-enabled healthcare systems across the region.
The conference was moderated by distinguished facilitators including Adham Yehia, President/Co-founder DrugStoc, Dr. Mories Atoki CEO, ABCHealth, and Pharm Abimbola Adebakin, CEO Advantage Health Africa, and featured thought leaders from regulatory bodies, pharmaceutical companies, digital health platforms, financial institutions and insurance providers.
These experts shared transformative insights on leveraging technology, strengthening supply chains, and expanding healthcare access through innovative financing models.
Highlights from the Conference
Opening Address by Dr. Chibuzo Opara, CEO/Co-founder, DrugStoc E-Hub Ltd.
Dr. Chibuzo Opara opened the conference with a compelling examination of healthcare supply chain transformation. Advocating for embracing self-care strategies and implementing digital-first approaches as fundamental requirements for modern healthcare systems. Dr. Opara emphasized that transforming Africa’s healthcare landscape demands ecosystem-wide participation, as no single entity possesses the resources or capacity to address these challenges alone.
“If you want to be relevant and distinguish yourself in the space, whether you are in the public or private sector, you have to know about self-care. You have to be patient-centred,” Dr. Opara stated, highlighting the paradigm shift required in healthcare delivery.
Keynote Address by Dr. Uchenna Elemuwa, NAFDAC Director of Pharmacovigilance
Dr. Uchenna Elemuwa delivered a powerful keynote on the growing threat of counterfeit medications, and stressed the need for stronger patient safety measures across Africa. She highlighted how artificial intelligence can strengthen surveillance and enable faster detection of unsafe pharmaceuticals. Dr. Elemuwa pointed to major gaps in the current system, including fragmented supply chains, limited manufacturing capacity, and low patient reporting of adverse drug reactions.
She called for streamlined policies, wider adoption of telemedicine and digital pharmacy networks, and stronger public-private partnerships, emphasising that meaningful progress in Africa’s health sector relies on collaboration, innovation, and shared accountability. “The fight against counterfeit medicines is a collective responsibility, not the regulator’s alone,” Dr. Elemuwa noted.
Panel Sessions and Fireside Chats
The conference featured a powerful series of panel discussions, including “Navigating Digital Pathways for Pharma Growth in Africa.” The session featured insights from Pharm. Kareem Adeniji, the MD of Tabade Pharmaceutical Chemists, who cautioned against technology for its own sake, stating, “You cannot just adopt technology without a plan”, emphasizing the need to align digital investments with specific operational goals.
Also on the panel were Mr. Frank Muonemeh, the Executive Secretary of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG MAN); Ms. Adeola Ayoola, CEO/ Co-Founder Famasi Africa; and Mr. Ladi Hameed, General Manager at Roche amongst others.
Another key discussion, “Financing a More Resilient Pharma Industry,” was chaired by Abimbola Adebakin, the CEO/Founder of Advantage Health Africa, who powerfully framed the session’s goal by declaring, “For equity to stand, digital pharmacy growth is only as important as when we get medicines to the last mile.”
The panel, featuring Dr. Oluwafemi Olaleye, Group Head of Healthcare Finance at Sterling bank; Adesope Okoh, a Partner in International Tax and Transaction Services of Ernst & Young; Chijioke Dozie, the Founder/CEO of Carbon; and Pharm Omobolanle Adekunle, the COO of Bydow Pharmacy explored strategic ways to turn receivables into growth capital.
A major fireside chat on “Strengthening Managed Care through Public-Private Collaboration” brought together pivotal voices from key institutions, including Pharm. Olufemi Adeoye of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Olamide Lawal of AXA Mansard, and Dr. Olugbenga Fadipe of the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), including Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).
The dialogue directly addressed the critical need for partnership, echoing a point made earlier by Pharm Ahmed Yakasai, a past PSN president, during his analysis on building resilient healthcare, where he stated that, “We need the government,” noting that Nigeria’s potential is hindered by weak implementation, a lack of partnership, and overreliance on imports.
This focus on foundational support was complemented by a session on “Building Resilient Health Systems through Digitization,” which included perspectives from Dr. Tolu Ajomale, Head of Special Projects at Lagos State, Adeleke Okembe, Head of IT at Duchess Hospital and Wale Adisa, CEO of Omnibiz Africa.
Further deepening the dialogue on innovation and investment was a fireside chat on Preparing Pharmacies for Investor Readiness, moderated by Edirin Keyamo, the Chief Growth and Marketing Officer of DrugStoc.
This session assembled a diverse panel of investors and advisors, including Yomi Jemibewon, MD of Cardinal Stone Capital, Chibuzo Opara, Brian Hammond of the Stanford Seed Transformation Network and Nneka Eze, Managing Partner at VestedWorld, to provide actionable guidance for pharmacy owners seeking investment.
A.H.E.A.D. Africa 2025 Hackathon
A major highlight of this year’s AHEAD Africa Conference was the AHEAD Africa HealthTech Hackathon powered by DrugStoc, a competitive innovation sprint designed to accelerate practical digital health solutions for Africa. The Hackathon brought together developers, startups, product innovators, data scientists, and healthcare professionals to co-create health tech solutions that address healthcare challenges across the continent. Winners were awarded their prizes at the conference.
Looking AHEAD
The A.H.E.A.D. Africa Healthtech Conference successfully convened diverse stakeholders across Africa’s healthcare ecosystem to address fundamental challenges in access, quality, financing, and technology adoption. As Africa’s healthcare sector continues its evolution, the collaborations and commitments forged at this gathering will shape the continent’s journey toward universal health coverage and pharmaceutical independence.
