Africa bears a disproportionate share of the global disease burden, yet contributes less than 2% of the world’s medical research output (Samb et al., 2022). From infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis to the growing tide of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and cancer, the continent’s health challenges demand context-specific solutions that cannot be fully met through reliance on external research. Investing in medical research is therefore not only a health priority but also a socioeconomic and developmental necessity.