The primary health centres are designed to be the first line of contact with the public and the main target for achieving universal health coverage (UHC). However, despite global advancements in healthcare, Africa continues to face unacceptably high health outcome indices, underscoring the significant challenges in achieving UHC. This review synthesises evidence on the factors influencing the primary healthcare system, focusing on its role in achieving UHC within the WHO‐Afro region.