Reading List | How Biobanking Works In Africa – And How To Do It Better (A Pan-African Pilot Study)

Biobanks offer a chance to investigate Africa’s rich genetic diversity and tackle the continent’s health and conservation challenges – but infrastructure issues and inconsistent regulations can hinder biobanking efforts. That’s why the Pan-African Biobanking Network (PABNet) decided to investigate the current status of biobanking in Africa.

From February 2024 to January 2025, Sandra Nanyonga, researcher and founder of PABNet with the support of Dr Zisis Kozlakidis, Head of Biobanking and Laboratory Services at IARC/WHO, Lyon, France and Dr Daniel Simeon-Dubach, biobank consultant, Walchwil Switzerland, led a structured, pan-African feasibility study using an online survey of African biobanks, dispatched through networks such as the Biodiversity Biobanks South Africa (BBSA) Biobank and Cohort Building Network (BCNet) and Medical Biorepositories of South Africa (MBiRSA).

The resulting study, “Biobanking Feasibility in Africa: Findings from a Pilot Survey by the Pan-African Biobanking Network” was published in February 2026 in Biopreservation and Biobanking. 

A total of 22 biobanks from 11 countries participated, including public, private and other institutions collecting human, animal, microbial and plant samples. Although 77% had quality management systems and 91% used unique specimen identifiers, only 43% had formal accreditation. Main strengths included diverse sample collections (77%) and participation in professional networks (68%). However, major obstacles included weak legal frameworks (82%), regulatory delays (73%), funding shortages (91%), and gaps in consent procedures.

The survey provides a preliminary overview of Africa’s biobanking sector, revealing a maturing ecosystem with untapped potential, despite geographical and institutional biases, infrastructure challenges and a complex task of harmonizing practices. 

The paper provides one of the first structured, cross-country insights into how African biobanks operate, where they succeed, and where system-level gaps persist. 

“Despite the growing number of biobanking activities across Africa, there has been no clear, evidence-based understanding of what exists, who is doing what, and what challenges are most critical,” Study lead author Sandra Nanyonga, a QBRS-certified biobanking systems expert, ISBER ambassador and founder of PABNet, explains. Much of the conversation around African biobanking has been based on assumptions rather than data. By conducting this feasibility study, we aimed to create a baseline that reflects the real landscape’s strengths, gaps, and opportunities so that future efforts, including those of PABNet, are grounded in evidence and aligned with the actual needs of the community.”

The findings highlight the need for coordinated development in African biobanking to become a regional resource and global contributor, advancing science and supporting public health. 

“Africa’s biobanking community is aiming to develop sustainable systems for cutting-edge research, balancing cultural and ethical relevance,” Nanyonga says. “This will involve bridging standardization gaps, forming inclusive partnerships, and developing context-sensitive solutions.”

The study also highlights Africa’s distinct advantages in biobanking, including its genetic diversity, range of biospecimens, and growing research engagement. However, these strengths are not yet fully leveraged due to persistent gaps in awareness, training, and access to accreditation challenges that mirror those seen across other low- and middle-income settings. 

“African biobanking is not starting from zero; we have capacity, diversity, and expertise,” Nanyonga explains. “The priority now is coordination, visibility, and systems that allow this capacity to operate at scale.” 

The findings underscore that biobanking in Africa operates within diverse and context-specific environments, requiring tailored approaches rather than direct adoption of high-income country models. 

“Biobanks rarely fail because of science; they fail because of systems ,” Nanyonga notes. “Without coordination, governance, and sustainable infrastructure, even high-quality science cannot translate into impact. . 

PABNet: Unlocking Africa’s Biobanking Potential

“African biobanking is at a critical but complex stage of development,” the researchers note. “Numerous new initiatives have the potential to improve health outcomes through research significantly, but key issues must be resolved for these biobanks to succeed. This would not only contribute to global health advancements but also ensure that the benefits of research are shared equitably.”

The Pan-African Biobanking Network (PABNet)  is well-positioned to fill these gaps through promoting local use of international standards, launching training programs, and facilitating improved governance. These measures will help build a robust, internationally integrated biobanking system fitting Africa’s research setting.

“PABNet was founded to address a critical gap — Africa’s biobanking infrastructure is fragmented, underfunded, and invisible at the global level. We are building the coordination, standards, and digital infrastructure that African biobanks need to power world-class health research.”

PABNet is a bottom-up African-led coordination platform focused on governance harmonization, capacity building, and improving the visibility of biobanking activities across the continent. It is designed to work alongside existing regional networks such as the BBSA, MBirSA and African BioGenome Project, strengthening coordination, sharing best practices, and supporting harmonization while respecting regional and institutional contexts. 

“As biobanking becomes increasingly central to global health, ensuring Africa’s systems are coordinated, visible, and sustainably developed will be critical not only for the continent but for global research equity,” Nanyona concludes. PABNet envisions an Africa where biobanks are connected, sustainable, and globally recognized, serving as vital infrastructure for biomedical research, precision medicine, and disease surveillance.”

The study emphasises Africa’s distinct advantages in biobanking, such as its great genetic diversity, variety of sample types, and active community involvement, all of which offer a good basis for studies that have a significant impact. But flaws including low awareness, poor training, and restricted accreditation still exist, mirroring deficiencies noted in other LMIC contexts.

Notably, the distinct requirements for biobanks in Africa, which differ significantly from those in high-income countries and even vary across African nations, highlight the urgent need for more research, publications, and shared knowledge to drive the field forward and ensure its sustainable growth.

“Most biobanks don’t fail because of science,” Nnyonga notes. “They fail because of systems. PABNet envisions an Africa where biobanks are connected, sustainable, and globally recognized, serving as vital infrastructure for biomedical research, precision medicine, and disease surveillance.”

The Pan-African Biobanking Network (PABNet)  is well-positioned to fill these gaps through promoting local use of international standards, launching training programs, and facilitating improved governance. These measures will help build a robust, internationally integrated biobanking system fitting Africa’s research setting.

“PABNet was founded to address a critical gap — Africa’s biobanking infrastructure is fragmented, underfunded, and invisible at the global level. We are building the coordination, standards, and digital infrastructure that African biobanks need to power world-class health research.”

Nanyonga thanked study participants for their contributions.

“Your contributions were instrumental in generating one of the first continental overviews of biobanking capacity, governance, and operational practices across Africa. We hope it contributes to ongoing efforts to strengthen sustainable, high-quality biobanking systems in Africa.”

 

S Nanyonga, D Simeon-Dubach, Z Kozlakidis (2026). Biobanking Feasibility in Africa: Findings from a Pilot Survey by the Pan-African Biobanking Network. Biopreservation and Biobanking, doi.org/10.1177/19475535261418097  

 

Happy reading…and if you have any other readings for us to share, please don’t hesitate to shout. Just let us know at info@bbsa.org.za or Contact Us here, and we’ll share your reading list with the rest of the BBSA community…and all those interested in doing biodiversity biobanking right.

 

About PABNet: The Pan-African Biobanking Network

The Pan-African Biobanking Network (PABNet) is a collaborative platform dedicated to strengthening the biobanking landscape across Africa. Established in 2024, PABNet connects biobanks, researchers, policymakers, and institutions to promote ethical, sustainable, and high-quality biobanking practices tailored to African realities. The mission is to empower the African biobanking community by supporting the implementation of international best practices, facilitating collaboration, and ensuring that Africa’s diverse biological resources and data contribute meaningfully to global scientific progress.

Want to know more about PABNet? Find out here. And if you’d like to know more about the BBSA’s many international partnerships, why not find out here?