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Quality Chemical Industries Limited (QCIL), the Kampala-based drugmaker chaired by Ugandan entrepreneur Emmanuel Katongole, has unveiled a new pharmaceutical factory at Luzira Industrial Park, deepening the firm’s role in the region’s drug supply chain.
The new plant will expand QCIL’s annual capacity from about 1.4 billion to 2.4 billion tablets, a major lift for a company that began two decades ago with a small team and a single production line. It also allows the company to start producing tuberculosis medicines, a first for any manufacturer on the African continent.
QCIL expands Africa’s pharmaceutical capacity
Over the years, QCIL has evolved from a local producer into one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s most advanced pharmaceutical hubs. Its latest innovation, a pediatric HIV/AIDS combination drug, Abacavir, Dolutegravir, and Lamivudine, underscores the company’s push to deliver treatments designed for African patients and public health needs.
Emmanuel Katongole, QCIL’s chairman and co-founder, said the project represents a long-term bet on Africa’s health sector. “This investment gives us room to grow into new treatment areas and increase access to affordable, quality medicines made in Africa,” he said at the event.
Under Katongole, the company has grown from just seven employees into the largest producer of WHO-prequalified HIV/AIDS and malaria treatments in Sub-Saharan Africa, supplying 14 markets and holding regulatory approval in 31 countries.
Government backing and national health goals
Government officials including Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa attended the groundbreaking ceremony signaling Kampala’s continued support for domestic drug manufacturing.
Tayebwa who represented President Yoweri Museveni praised Qcil’s efforts to reduce Uganda’s dependence on imported medicines and strengthen regional health security. “The government remains committed to supporting industries that build self-reliance in healthcare,” he said.
QCIL empowers Africa through local manufacturing Founded in 2005, Cipla Quality Chemical Industries Limited (QCIL) produces a broad range of essential medicines, including triple-combination antiretrovirals, the antimalarial Lumartem, and generic treatments for Hepatitis B such as Texavir and Zentair.
With more than 580 employees and more than 900 interns and graduates from all over Africa, QCIL has established itself as a major player in the development of pharmaceutical talent. With an emphasis on production, innovation and skill development, the most recent investment strengthens its position in Africa's pharmaceutical sector.
