10 Health Startups in Africa You Should Watch in 2025

"When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion." — Ethiopian Proverb

Africa’s health tech scene is buzzing—and not just from mosquitoes. Across the continent, startups are stepping up with bold solutions to real problems: access, affordability, infrastructure, and education. Here are 10 African health startups making waves in 2025, building bridges between innovation and impact.

1. mPharma (Ghana)

What they do: Affordable medicines, pharmacy digitization, and supply chain management.
Why watch: They’ve built a network of over 1,000 pharmacies across 9 countries—lowering costs and stockouts with data-driven inventory tools.
🔗 https://mpharma.com

2. Ilara Health (Kenya)

What they do: Brings AI-powered diagnostics to underserved clinics with flexible financing.
Why watch: By equipping peri-urban and rural clinics, they’re redefining primary care access.
🔗 https://www.ilarahealth.com

3. Zipline (Rwanda, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria)

What they do: Medical drone deliveries of blood, vaccines, and essential meds.
Why watch: 850,000+ deliveries and counting—with sights set on logistics beyond health.
🔗 https://www.flyzipline.com

4. 54gene (Nigeria)

What they do: Genomics research tailored to African populations.
Why watch: They’re rewriting the future of precision medicine—finally putting African DNA into global R&D.
🔗 https://54gene.com

5. HealthLane (Cameroon, Nigeria)

What they do: Personalized health checkups, reports, and digital care plans.
Why watch: A wellness-focused shift that’s all about prevention and early detection.
🔗 https://www.healthlane.com

6. Rocket Health (Uganda)

What they do: Full-service telemedicine—from doctor consults to lab test home visits.
Why watch: They’ve built East Africa’s most complete virtual-first clinic.
🔗 https://rockethealth.africa

7. Waspito (Cameroon)

What they do: Combines social networking with digital doctor access.
Why watch: Gen Z meets healthcare—video consults and community health streams.
🔗 https://www.waspito.com

8. Lifestores Healthcare (Nigeria)

What they do: Digitizes community pharmacies with inventory and pricing tech.
Why watch: Combats counterfeit drugs and helps pharmacies scale ethically.
🔗 https://www.lifestoreshealthcare.com

9. Zuri Health (Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal)

What they do: Mobile-first healthcare via SMS, WhatsApp, and apps.
Why watch: Tailored for low-bandwidth communities and patients without smartphones.
🔗 https://www.zuri.health

🔟 Doctors Explain (Pan-African)

What they do: Builds accessible digital health education, virtual care, and workforce development tools across Africa.
Why watch: From rural schools in Kenya to virtual clinics in Nigeria, Doctors Explain is democratizing health literacy and telecare by meeting people where they are—online, offline, and in the community. Their ecosystem includes live health talks, culturally relevant content, and remote care services for populations that traditional systems leave behind.

“Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.”
Doctors Explain is growing health knowledge—digitally and sustainably.

🔗 https://doctorsexplain.net

🧠 Final Word: Africa’s Health Future Is Now

Whether it's flying blood by drone, delivering care via SMS, or training a new wave of digital health workers, these startups are proving one thing loud and clear:

“You learn how to cut down trees by cutting them down.” — Bantu Proverb

In 2025, health innovation in Africa is no longer about catching up. It’s about leading with relevance, designing for reality, and building from the ground up.