When we co-hosted the 2024 Nature Conference in Nairobi with Nature and the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC), the goal was ambitious; to put Africa’s brain health crisis firmly on the global agenda. Out of that gathering of researchers, policymakers and advocates has come something transformative, a continent-wide strategy to safeguard brain health while strengthening economic resilience.
This week, Nature Medicine published the outcome of that work. The 6 × 5 Plan is a five-year roadmap that sets out six priority actions for African nations to tackle the growing challenges of dementia, Alzheimer’s and other brain health conditions.
Why Africa, why now
Africa’s population is growing and aging at a historic pace. By 2050, more than 226 million Africans will be over 60, and dementia cases are projected to climb to 14 million. Left unchecked, the social and economic toll could overwhelm families and health systems alike.
But this is also a moment of possibility. Africa has entered a “golden window”, a demographic phase in which investments in brain health can preserve resilience, sustain productivity and fuel economic growth before the weight of aging populations sets in.
As Prof. Zul Merali, Founding Director of BMI, puts it, “This Plan is a pivot point. It recognizes that brain health is not only a medical challenge but a foundation for Africa’s future prosperity.”
The 6 × 5 plan: Practical and African-led
The Plan identifies six action areas:
• Building advocacy and health literacy to fight stigma.
• Recognizing brain health as a socio-economic driver.
• Breaking down silos of people and data.
• Repurposing existing health resources and networks.
• Harnessing AI and digital innovations.
• Strengthening research funding.
These actions are designed to be practical ‘low-hanging fruits’ that governments and communities can implement quickly. A new pan-African task force, launched in March 2025, is now leading the roll-out, with working groups spanning all five geopolitical zones of the continent.
For Dr. Chi Udeh-Momoh, Consultant Neuroscientist at BMI, the emphasis on local realities is key, “The Plan’s focus on community engagement and culturally sensitive tools resonates deeply. Solutions cannot be imported, they must grow from the ground up, in our languages and our lived experiences.”
Reframing the conversation
Historically, brain health has been treated as a burden, a cost that poor nations could ill afford. The 6 × 5 Plan turns that thinking on its head, positioning brain health as a driver of development.
Cyprian Mostert, BMI’s Brain Health Economist, explains, “When people are cognitively healthy, they are productive, creative, and resilient. Investing in brain health is not an expense, it is a generational opportunity to fuel Africa’s growth.”
This reframing also makes the agenda attractive to policymakers and funders, linking brain health with the Sustainable Development Goals, economic policy and social protection frameworks.
BMI’s role: From vision to implementation
BMI has been central at every step of this journey, from co-designing the Nairobi conference that defined the priorities, to contributing to the Nature Medicine paper, and now helping implement the strategy through the task force. Our researchers are not only authors of the Plan but also leaders in its working groups, ensuring the strategy is rooted in evidence and in Africa’s realities.
The road ahead will demand political courage, innovative financing and sustained collaboration. Yet momentum is building. Communities are mobilizing, technology is opening new doors, and governments are beginning to view brain health as a national priority.
For BMI, this is part of our mission to advance brain health through collaborative research, education and innovation. As Africa charts its own course, we are committed to staying at the heart of the work by convening partners, generating evidence and ensuring that brain health becomes a pillar of the continent’s resilience and prosperity.
