Ugandan scientist Dr Matthias Magoola, founder of Dei BioPharma, was named among Africa’s 100 Most Influential People for 2026 at a ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda, on Friday, September 25, 2026. The recognition, organised by the Accra-based Business Executive Media Group in partnership with the International Business Council Africa and the African Chamber for Trade, cited his “visionary leadership and groundbreaking innovations” in biotechnology and healthcare . The third edition of the awards was held under the theme “Recognising the People Determining Africa’s Socio-Economic Direction” .
Dr Magoola dedicated the honour to Uganda and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. “We are grateful for this recognition and for the support from everyone, especially His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni,” he said. “Without his unwavering support, these milestones would not be possible. These achievements belong to Uganda, and specifically to our president, who has always stood by the scientists of this country” . The award recognises his efforts to reduce Africa’s dependence on imported medicines, a vulnerability exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic .
His company, Dei BioPharma, founded in 2014, is developing a 250-acre manufacturing campus in Matugga, Wakiso District, north of Kampala, designed to eventually house about 30 factories . The company has submitted 65 product applications to Uganda’s National Drug Authority, with 40 approved for manufacture and 14 for sale . Dr Magoola has filed more than 100 patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, covering treatments and vaccines for cancer, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, sickle cell anaemia, malaria, tuberculosis, and diabetes . In August 2026, he lodged seven additional applications for a family of mRNA cancer vaccines .
The recognition comes shortly after Dei BioPharma was registered as a manufacturer under the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism on September 1, 2026, operated by the Africa CDC, allowing it to bid for continental supply contracts . The Kigali honour follows a series of international awards, including the 2025 Ratna Pharma Award in India for vaccine research and the Best Researcher Award at the 2024 International Molecular Biologist Awards .