Qcil Marks 20 Years with Groundbreaking for New Factory and Launch of Paediatric HIV/AIDS Medicine

Kampala, Uganda | October 8, 2025

Quality Chemical Industries Limited (Qcil), the region’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturer, today marked a double milestone, celebrating 20 years of pharmaceutical excellence in Sub-Saharan Africa and breaking ground for a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at its Luzira Industrial Park campus in Kampala.

Expanding Africa’s Pharmaceutical Capacity

The new factory represents a significant investment in Africa’s healthcare future. It will expand Qcil’s production capacity, enabling the company to venture into new therapeutic areas, including the manufacture of tuberculosis (TB) treatments, which are currently not produced anywhere on the continent.

“This investment will enable Qcil to scale annual manufacturing capacity from 1.4 billion to 2.4 billion tablets, while introducing specialised production lines for TB treatments, injectables medicines, and other innovative products,” said Mr. Emmanuel Katongole, Qcil’s Chairman and Co-Founder. “We are strengthening our capacity to serve Uganda and the wider African market with high-quality, affordable medicines while reducing dependency on imported drugs.”

Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng together with Rt Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament officiating the ground breaking ceremony of the new Manufacturing Block 2 at Qcil on behalf of H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

Manufacturing in Africa, for Africa

Mr. Ajay Kumar Pal, Chief Executive Officer of Qcil, highlighted the strategic importance of the new facility. "For the last 20 years, Qcil has been producing quality, affordable medicines, the results have been remarkable. Looking ahead, this new chapter represents a significant investment in our mission to expand access to critical medicines by manufacturing in Africa, for Africa. The new factory will make Qcil the only manufacturer of TB medicines in the region.”

Founded in 2005, Qcil has transformed a former farm of the Uganda Prisons into one of Africa’s most advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing hubs. The company is today the largest producer of WHO-prequalified HIV/AIDS and malaria treatments in Sub-Saharan Africa, with regulatory approval in 31 African countries and product presence in 14 markets.

Celebrating 20 Years of Impact

As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, Qcil also commissioned their Quality Control Laboratory and launched a new paediatric HIV/AIDS medicine designed for children living with HIV, reaffirming its leadership in Africa’s pharmaceutical innovation and public health impact. Equipped with advanced instrumentation, the laboratory performs over 4,000 tests per month, covering both physicochemical and microbiological analyses.

“The Quality Control Laboratory has been a game-changer for Qcil, strengthening our ability to maintain the highest standards of quality across every medicine we produce,” said Mr. Ajay. “Our new paediatric HIV/AIDS medicine is a combination of Abacavir, Dolutegravir, and Lamivudine. It ensures that children can take their treatment safely and consistently, enabling them to live long, healthy, and productive lives.

Qcil's Board of Directors celebrated the company's 20th Anniversary alongside Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa and Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng with a cake-cutting ceremony.

Government Partnership and Recognition

Rt Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, graced the event. Representing His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of the Republic of Uganda, as Guest of Honour. His attendance underscored the Government’s strong support and partnership with Qcil, a collaboration began with the allocation of land for the Luzira plant, an offtake guarantee to give the company a head start and assured market for their medicine through the National Medical Stores. This support continues through friendly policies on import substitution and export promotion.

Hon. Tayebwa commended Qcil, “I thank you for advancing Uganda’s pharmaceutical self-sufficiency and contributing to regional health security through sustained domestic manufacturing of quality and affordable medicines that our people rely on for their very survival.”

Sustaining Growth through Human Capital Development

From a modest beginning with just 7 permanent employees in 2006, Qcil has grown into a vibrant team of over 580 permanent and contracted staff as of 2025, a testament to the company’s commitment to nurturing talent and empowering careers. 

Over the last two decades, Qcil has become a training ground for excellence, shaping the next generation of pharmaceutical leaders. More than 900 interns and graduate trainees from Uganda and across Africa, including pharmacy students from the University of Namibia, have walked through their doors, gaining hands-on experience aligned with international industry standards. In the past two years, the company has provided career-launching opportunities to 193 university students across various disciplines, including Pharmacy, Engineering, Biochemistry, and Environmental Sciences.