At SynBio 4.0 Africa International Conference, held in Kigali under the theme “From Lab to Market: Leveraging Safe Innovations in Synthetic Biology and AI for Africa’s Bioeconomy,” the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS) and the Tech Governance Project co-hosted an interactive session titled “Africa’s DNA Synthesis Landscape: Trends, Challenges, and Governance.” The session brought together research and policy stakeholders to examine the current state of DNA synthesis screening across Africa and identify urgent governance needs. Participants were surveyed during the session to capture their experiences and awareness of DNA synthesis screening practices in the region. The discussion was informed by research and policy mapping efforts led by IBBIS and Tech Governance, focused on the African region.

KEY INSIGHTS FROM THE SESSION:

• Across Africa, the bioeconomy is growing as new biotech companies, biofoundries, and regional initiatives led by the WHO and Africa CDC advance distributed manufacturing.
• South Africa leads regional DNA synthesis activity, but overall local production capacity across Africa remains very limited, with the market largely dependent on imports.
• Resellers and distributors play a significant role in Africa’s DNA synthesis supply chain, often operating with less clear screening practices compared to primary suppliers.
• Screening practices vary widely across vendors. While some vendors conduct institutional checks for customer legitimacy, most African researchers report receiving DNA without any form of customer or sequence screening they are aware of.
• Supply chain concerns were strongly noted, with researchers wary of introducing screening protocols that could delay already complex procurement processes.
• Strong African leadership is vital to ensure biosecurity frameworks are relevant and locally appropriate.

CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED:

• Capacity constraints remain a major barrier; in most countries, only a handful of individuals are responsible for accrediting and monitoring biosecurity and biosafety oversight.
• Import controls focus mostly on whole organisms, leaving gaps in oversight of synthetic materials. These controls can also create delays and regulatory friction that researchers are hesitant to exacerbate with new screening measures.
• The urgent demand for diagnostics and medical tools often takes precedence over concerns about potential misuse, highlighting a perception gap between biosafety and biosecurity priorities.
• There is limited international coordination, with no African countries having any public or private entities currently participating in global initiatives such as the International Gene Synthesis Consortium (IGSC).

The session concluded with a clear call for strengthened governance frameworks tailored to the African context. Priorities include developing screening protocols with automated checks against control lists, verifying customer identity and intended use, and establishing screening mechanisms for distributors and resellers.

International coordination will be essential to harmonize DNA synthesis screening standards and enable the exchange of best practices across regions. As synthetic biology continues to expand across Africa, robust and adaptable DNA synthesis governance will be critical to safeguarding and enabling equitable access to innovation.

IBBIS remains committed to supporting African partners in advancing policy development and effective implementation.

For inquiries regarding IBBIS’s Global DNA Synthesis Map, please contact Mayra Ameneiros.