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CFAO Healthcare, the healthcare division of the France-based CFAO Group, has acquired a 75% stake in Medswana, one of Botswana’s leading pharmaceutical wholesalers.
The announcement comes a year after CFAO Healthcare acquired 100% of Goodlife Pharmacy, East Africa’s largest private retail pharmacy chain. CFAO supports the sustainable development of Africa and is a subsidiary of the Japanese Group Toyota Tsusho Corporation.
In 2024, CFAO Healthcare acquired Sanofi’s South African Consumer Healthcare business (Opella Healthcare South Africa) and Medimport, one of Mozambique’s leading pharmaceutical distributors, from the Portuguese laboratory BIAL.
The deal marks the latest step in CFAO Healthcare’s strategy to build an integrated pharmaceutical distribution network across southern Africa, following its launch of operations in South Africa in 2024.
Founded in 1994, Medswana handles the import, storage, and distribution of medicines to public and private healthcare facilities throughout Botswana.
The company holds more than 3,800 product references and works with over 200 suppliers. Following the transaction, the company will operate as Medswana Laborex and join CFAO Healthcare’s pan-African network.
“Medswana has proudly served the people of Botswana for decades by providing access to high-quality medicines. We have chosen CFAO Healthcare as our partner and shareholder because of our shared vision, strong ethical values, and commitment to improving healthcare outcomes,” said Mark Fallows, the newly appointed CEO of Medswana. “Together, we will be better positioned to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the people of Botswana and further enhance access to high-quality pharmaceutical products.”
Fallows, who previously served as head of operations, takes over from outgoing CEO Piet le Grange, who retired upon completion of the transaction.
CFAO Healthcare currently supplies medicines and pharmaceutical products in 26 African countries and six French overseas territories. Its Laborex network delivers to more than 11,000 pharmacies daily, and the group also operates Goodlife pharmacies in Kenya and Uganda.
“Botswana is a strategic market for our regional development. With Medswana, we are partnering with a recognised leader and experienced teams,” said Philippe Franiatte, CEO of CFAO Healthcare’s southern region. “Our ambition is to sustainably support the development of Botswana’s pharmaceutical sector while strengthening regional synergies to benefit healthcare systems.”
CFAO Healthcare also manufactures licensed medicines in Morocco and Algeria, and assembles and distributes generic medicine kits and medical consumables for Africa.
“This acquisition is fully in line with our strategy to develop an integrated pharmaceutical distribution platform across the continent,” said Jean-Marc Leccia, CEO of CFAO Healthcare. “In markets where access to medicines depends heavily on the quality of supply chains, our role is to provide high standards, continuity of service, and sustainable solutions for the benefit of healthcare professionals and patients.”
