Pharmaceutical Importers and Distributors in Kenya: Full List and How to Verify Them

Updated 19 October 2026

Almost every medicine sold in a Kenyan pharmacy, clinic or hospital reaches the shelf through a licensed importer or wholesale distributor. The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), the regulator set up under the Pharmacy and Poisons Act (Cap 244), licenses these businesses and keeps a public register of every approved wholesale premises. An independent count of that register in July 2026 found 532 licensed wholesale premises across 26 counties.

Most of the volume, however, moves through a small group of large importers. A 2019 supply chain landscape study of the region found that, based on revenues reported by the biggest wholesalers interviewed in Kenya, the top six importers handle roughly 60% to 70% of the private market. Below are the main pharmaceutical importers and distributors in Kenya that we could confirm from their own websites and published reports, followed by how to check any supplier’s licence and what it takes to become an importer yourself.

In this guide

1. Major Pharmaceutical Importers and Distributors in Kenya
2. How to Check if a Pharmaceutical Distributor Is Licensed
3. How to Become a Pharmaceutical Importer in Kenya
4. Choosing a Supplier for Your Pharmacy or Clinic
5. Frequently asked questions

Major Pharmaceutical Importers and Distributors in Kenya

The list mixes private distributors, a faith-based supplier and the government agency, because each serves a different kind of buyer. It is not a ranking.

1. Phillips Pharma Group (Phillips Healthcare Services)

Phillips was set up in Kenya in 1991 and describes itself as one of the largest importers, marketers and distributors of medicines, medical and surgical devices in sub-Saharan Africa. The group has offices and warehouses in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Mauritius and Namibia, and distributes products from more than 100 international pharmaceutical companies.

• Size: over 1,300 staff and more than 5,000 customers, including retail pharmacies, hospitals, NGOs and institutions, according to the company
• Services: temperature and humidity controlled warehousing with cold storage, distribution to hospitals and pharmacies, sales and promotion teams for manufacturers, and regulatory and pharmacovigilance support
• Contact: info@phillipsafrica.com

2. Surgipharm Limited

Surgipharm was founded in 1985 to build a country-wide network for marketing and distributing medicines. It works from branches in Nairobi and Mombasa and lists a team of 395 people. The Kenya News Agency, reporting on an industry award to its founder, said the firm accounts for about 30% of the market and has more than 2,000 active customers.

• Nairobi: Nivina Towers, 71 Westlands Road, Westlands; 0722 204 707 or 0734 224 228
• Mombasa: Biashara Bank Building, Nyerere Avenue
• Email: info@surgipharm.com

3. Harley’s Limited

Harley’s started in 1953 as a retail chemist in Kisumu and became a family-owned importer and distributor after a management buy-out in 1975. By 2000 it had offices in Nairobi, Mombasa and Eldoret and says it supplied over 5,000 chemists, 700 hospitals, more than 60 NGOs and public buyers such as KEMSA and county hospitals. In 2023 it became part of the Mauritian IBL Group, with the French development financier Proparco also joining as a shareholder.

• Products: medicines, consumer health, animal health, and medical and laboratory equipment and consumables
• Branches: Nairobi head office, Mombasa and Eldoret, with Meru and Nakuru listed as coming soon, plus Dar es Salaam and Kampala
• Contact: 63 Westlands Road, Nairobi; 020 4261000 or 0722 202 030; info@harleysltd.com

4. Laborex Kenya

Laborex traces its history in Nairobi back to 1911, which makes it one of the oldest names in the trade. It imports, distributes and markets medicines in East Africa and has branch networks in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. A trade profile of the company reported that it was the first pharmaceutical importer and distributor in Kenya to earn ISO certification, in 2008. Its website runs a customer log-in and basket for trade orders; use the contact page there for account enquiries, since we could not confirm a current phone number from the company itself.

5. Omaera Pharmaceuticals

Omaera began in 1993 as a small retail outlet selling medical and surgical supplies and moved into wholesale distribution in 1994 to serve small pharmacies and clinics. It now imports and distributes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, hospital equipment and medical consumables to pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and other wholesalers across East and Central Africa.

• Location: Zaf Holdings Godown No. 16, Baba Dogo Road, Ruaraka, Nairobi
• Contact: 0717 381 822; info@omaera.com
• Hours: Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm

6. Transwide Pharmaceuticals

Transwide has distributed medicines since 1994 and says it serves more than 4,000 healthcare providers nationwide. It supplies prescription and over-the-counter medicines, medical equipment and surgical instruments to hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, and is based in Ruaraka, Nairobi. Registered trade customers can order through its online business portal.

7. MEDS (Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies)

MEDS is a faith-based, not-for-profit supplier founded in 1986 as a joint trust of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Christian Health Association of Kenya. It was set up to fix shortages of essential medicines in mission and rural hospitals and now also serves NGOs, county government facilities and charities in neighbouring countries. Its quality control laboratory was prequalified by the World Health Organization in 2009.

• Size: business volume of KSh 5.89 billion in 2024, up from KSh 5.74 billion in 2023, according to the Christian Health Association of Kenya’s 2024 annual report
• Warehouses: Nairobi headquarters plus Athi River and a Kisumu branch
• Contact: 0719 086 000 or 0730 160 000; orders@meds.or.ke or info@meds.or.ke; Kisumu branch 0719 086 707

8. KEMSA (Kenya Medical Supplies Authority)

KEMSA is the state corporation created by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority Act of 2013. Its job is to procure, warehouse and distribute medicines and medical supplies for public health programmes, the national strategic stock reserve, essential health packages and national referral hospitals, working with county governments. Private pharmacies do not normally buy from KEMSA; it exists mainly to supply public facilities.

Other Licensed Wholesalers Worth Knowing

Below the big importers sits a large layer of wholesalers that supply chemists and clinics, often with branches in several counties. Names that appear prominently in the PPB register and in market studies include Nila Pharmaceuticals, Philmed Pharmaceuticals in Thika, Transchem Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaplus (Vincare), Medisel Kenya in Thika and RangeChem. You can see branch details for one of them in our guide to RangeChem Pharmaceuticals branches.

How to Check if a Pharmaceutical Distributor Is Licensed

Buying from an unlicensed supplier puts patients at risk and can cost a pharmacy its own licence. Checking takes a few minutes:

1. Open the PPB practice portal and go to the public licence status page for facilities, then choose the wholesale register.
2. Search for the company’s registered name, not its trading brand.
3. Confirm the licence status shows as valid and note the superintendent pharmacist named for the premises.
4. When you visit, scan the QR code printed on the licence displayed at the premises. PPB says every authorised outlet is issued a licence with a QR code that any smartphone can verify.

PPB updates the register in real time as it approves, suspends, revokes or closes outlets, and premises licences are renewed every year, so check again before you sign a new supply agreement. The same habit applies to hospitals and clinics; see how to check if a health facility is licensed by KMPDC.

How to Become a Pharmaceutical Importer in Kenya

Importing medicines is one of the most tightly regulated trades in the country. In outline, you need the following.

• A registered company and tax PIN. Start with our guides on registering a limited company with BRS and getting a KRA PIN.
• A licensed wholesale premises. PPB registers and licenses wholesale premises separately from the people who run them, and its register names the pharmacist in charge of each premises.
• Registered products. Only products that PPB has registered (given market authorisation) can be imported for sale. Applications go through PPB’s PRIMS portal.
• An import permit for each consignment. Permits are also issued through PRIMS before shipment. Each permit names the port of entry, and the goods must come in through that port.
• Proper storage. PPB’s good storage and distribution practice guidelines set the standards for warehouses, cold chain and transport.

PPB lists 11 gazetted ports of entry for health products: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Eldoret International Airport, Kilindini Port in Mombasa, the Inland Container Depot at Embakasi, the Inland Container Depot at Pepe in Athi River, the land borders at Busia, Namanga, Malaba, Isebania and Lunga Lunga, and the Citi Square Post Office in Nairobi.

For the wider list of permits a new business needs, read our guide to the legal requirements for starting a business in Kenya.

Choosing a Supplier for Your Pharmacy or Clinic

• Range and principals: the large importers hold exclusive rights to many international brands, so the product you need may only come through one of them.
• Delivery reach: a distributor with a branch in your region, such as Mombasa, Eldoret or Kisumu, usually delivers faster than one serving you from Nairobi.
• Credit terms: most distributors open trade accounts only for licensed pharmacies and facilities, and will ask for your PPB licence and KRA PIN.
• Cold chain: for vaccines, insulin and other temperature-sensitive products, ask how the goods are stored and transported.
• Faith-based and public buyers: mission hospitals typically buy through MEDS, while public facilities order through KEMSA and their county.

If you are planning a career in the sector rather than a business, see the cost of studying pharmacy in Kenya.

Frequently asked questions

Who are the biggest pharmaceutical distributors in Kenya?

The largest private importers and distributors include Phillips Pharma Group, Surgipharm, Harley’s and Laborex Kenya. MEDS is the main faith-based supplier, and KEMSA supplies public health facilities.

Which body licenses pharmaceutical importers in Kenya?

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board licenses wholesale and import premises, registers medicines and issues import permits through its PRIMS portal.

How many licensed pharmaceutical wholesalers are there in Kenya?

An independent count of the PPB register in July 2026 found 532 licensed wholesale premises in 26 counties. The number changes as PPB approves, suspends or closes outlets.

Can a pharmacy buy directly from KEMSA?

KEMSA’s legal mandate is to supply public health programmes, national referral hospitals and county facilities, so private pharmacies normally buy from private distributors or MEDS instead.

Through which ports can medicines be imported into Kenya?

Only through the 11 ports of entry gazetted by PPB, including JKIA, Kilindini Port, the Embakasi and Pepe inland container depots and the Busia, Namanga, Malaba, Isebania and Lunga Lunga borders.