Every pharmaceutical lab, regardless of size, needs equipment. Even the least technologically advanced premises require specialized devices to help technicians perform their jobs. From simple digital scales to pill filling machines, equipment plays an integral role in research, development, and manufacturing.

Taming chemicals into compounds that can cure ailments and reduce symptoms requires precise and accurate devices. Reliability, consistency, and infallibility are some of the basic things that a pharmaceutical lab manager looks for when making a purchasing decision. They also consider power consumption, output capacity, necessary downtime, ease of sterilization, and additional parts that may be needed for the machine to function. This is especially important in the MENA region where quickly ordering a spare part or a filter may not be as accessible as it is elsewhere in the world.

Currently, simple equipment like test tubes, vials, and scales are manufactured, but larger, more technologically complex devices are still in the realm of larger multinationals that have much bigger budgets for building them and are often protected by patents. However, the world is finally noticing that MENA, despite being an emerging market, is very much still untapped. According to McKinsey & Company, Africa is the only place where the pharmaceutical business may still see significant growth. This notion is supported by experts' projections of 7.5% yearly growth in the sector. 

Furthermore, studies estimate that growth would range from $56 billion to $70 billion in important areas like Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, and Botswana. A report by HealthHark noted that “The North African and Middle Eastern healthcare markets are expected to increase at 9.2% and 6.2%, respectively, through 2025. Medical Devices in the Middle East and Africa are estimated to reach USD 73.4 million in 2027, up from USD 64.3 million in 2022, with a CAGR of 2.6% from 2022 to 2027.” This means that adjacent and supporting manufacturing will also see an increase in demand. Data Bridge Market Research analyzes that the Africa lab supplies market will grow at a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period of 2022 to 2030.

The region is quickly proving itself as a huge opportunity for investors, researchers, and companies willing to reconsider the way they think about it.