The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is injecting $40 million into an effort to help African manufacturers develop messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. This initiative aims to address vaccine equity by enabling the production of mRNA vaccines on the continent. Although it may take at least three years for these vaccines to gain approval, the investment represents a significant step forward. The funding will support African manufacturers like the Institut Pasteur in Senegal and Biovac in South Africa, using an mRNA research and manufacturing platform developed by Quantoom Biosciences in Belgium. The mRNA technology, known for its role in COVID-19 vaccines, is seen as promising for addressing local and global diseases in Africa.