• Novo Nordisk cuts Wegovy prices in South Africa amid competition

• Move targets rival Eli Lilly in growing obesity drug market

• High obesity rates and low treatment levels signal strong demand

Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk said on Wednesday it would cut the price of its obesity drug Wegovy in South Africa. The lowest injectable dose will fall from 3,090 rand ($181.70) to 1,873 rand, while the highest dose has been reduced by 27% to 3,746 rand, Reuters reported.

This is Novo Nordisk’s second price cut since December, following its entry into South Africa, Africa’s most industrialised economy, in August 2025. The move aims to outpace U.S. rival Eli Lilly.

The Indianapolis-based drugmaker launched its flagship product Mounjaro in partnership with Aspen in December 2024 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, before securing approval for weight loss in October 2025.

With the latest reduction, Novo Nordisk’s lowest dose is now priced below its rival’s equivalent, which starts at around 3,600 rand, according to Reuters.

The company is also considering further cuts to its second dose and exploring the introduction of an oral version of Wegovy in the country.

A high-growth market

The intensifying competition between the two companies highlights the strong potential of South Africa’s obesity treatment market, both in scale and growth. More than half of adults, and over two-thirds of women, are overweight or obese, among the highest rates in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the World Health Organization.

In an interview with Reuters in August, Sara Norcross, managing director of Novo Nordisk South Africa, said fewer than 1% of the roughly 20 million people affected currently receive treatment, pointing to significant room for expansion.

The rivalry in South Africa reflects a broader global trend. In Europe and the Americas, the two companies are competing for market share in obesity treatments, a market Goldman Sachs Research estimates could reach about $100 billion annually by 2030.

Regulatory developments may also support growth. Reuters reported, citing an internal WHO document, that the organisation was preparing in early May 2025 to formally endorse weight-loss drugs for adult obesity treatment for the first time, marking a shift away from its previous focus on prevention and lifestyle changes.

Espoir Olodo