EU Mobilizes €95M in Blended Financing to Support BioNTech mRNA Vaccine Plant in Rwanda
On 13 October 2025, in the wake of the Global Gateway Forum 2025 (#GGF2025), the European Commission (EC) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced that they are joining hands to advance the BioNTech messenger RNA (#mRNA) vaccine production plant in Rwanda. The blended financing is composed of a EUR 35 million grant from the EC and a loan of EUR 60 million from the EIB.
The Blended Finance is made possible by the European Commission EFSD+ Guarantee and the Human Development Accelerator (HDX) programs, which bring together EIB’s financing and the Gates Foundation’s expertise.
“This manufacturing site is about empowering Africa with the tools and expertise to tackle health challenges independently. By working with BioNTech and the European Commission, we’re supporting a future where vaccines are produced in Africa, for Africa. This partnership is a major step forward for health, jobs, and innovation across the continent.”
EIB VP Karl Nehammer
The BioNTech plant is located in the Rwandan capital Kigali and will produce vaccines for prevalent diseases in Africa, such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and mpox. The design is modular and can be quickly assembled using so-called BioNTainers, which are like Lego pieces that can be adapted to various vaccine types.
If successful, it will become the first mRNA vaccine plant in all of Africa and will reinforce Rwanda’s role as a medical hub in Africa. The project is also a flagship project under the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative (#GGI) to enhance Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines (MAV+). Furthermore, the vaccine plant is in line with the AU’s #Agenda2063 and the Africa Center for Disease Control’s (ACDC) plan to produce at least 60% of its vaccine needs by 2040.
“Global health is a key priority of the #GlobalGateway strategy, and the EU has already invested more than €1.9 billion in local vaccine and medicine manufacturing and affordable access in Africa. The agreement with BioNTech to support the advancement of its state-of-the-art mRNA manufacturing facility in Rwanda will boost expertise across the region and build increased independence from entities outside of Africa.”
EC Commissioner Jozef Skila
BioNTech COO Sierk Poetting expressed his support for Team Europe and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) for their important contribution to the fostering of an advanced mRNA vaccine ecosystem in Africa. In 2024, CEPI pledged a grant of EUR 130 million to foster #VaccineEquity.
The Vaccine Plant in Rwanda is expected to make a significant contribution to meeting several UN Sustainable Development Goals (#SDG). In particular, it will promote Good Health and Well-Being (SDG3) through industrialization and innovation (SDG9) while reducing vaccine inequities (SDG10).