Dr Adachi Ekeh and Israel Olaniyan (Lead Writers)
Malaria has been a persistent national emergency in Nigeria, an entrenched crisis that continues to affect the health and wellbeing of families and communities. In 2022 alone, the disease claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, most of them children, draining the country’s economic vitality. The battle has been long and arduous, marked by cycles of progress and setbacks. As the global community celebrates this year’s World Malaria Day, with the theme “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”, Nigeria must boldly rewrite the rules of engagement in the world’s oldest and most persistent public health battle.
However, a quiet revolution is underway, driven by bold local innovations such as the establishment of West Africa’s first Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) manufacturing facility, Lagos State’s digital malaria surveillance initiative, and the promise of a nationwide rollout of the new R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine.
Current interventions go beyond modest improvements, they reflect a bold and transformative approach to rethinking of malaria control in Nigeria . This makes a shift from reactive to proactive strategies, and from fragmented efforts to an integrated ecosystem of innovation. These aligns closely with the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint 2023–2027, advancing priorities around health system efficiency, local value creation, and health security.
The Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS), conducted every few years, helps to track progress on malaria elimination in the country. With the next survey slated for 2025, the country stands at a pivotal moment: not only to assess progress, but to ask more strategic questions, such as what is working, where interventions are lagging, and how to course-correct in real time.
While the 2021 MIS survey provided vital baseline data, there are indications that its findings were not fully translated into targeted subnational action. The 2025 MIS must go further, serving not just as a diagnostic tool, but as a catalyst for precision planning, resource allocation and accountability as Nigeria accelerates progress towards malaria elimination by 2030.
A new era in Malaria control
Nigeria’s latest Malaria interventions are not just isolated breakthroughs; they represent a comprehensive strategy for long-term elimination. This shift is anchored on three key pillars: vaccine innovation, local manufacturing, and digital disruption.
The historic rollout of the malaria vaccine represents a game-changer in disease prevention. The new R21/Matrix-M vaccine, endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), has the potential to reduce severe malaria cases in children by up to 30%. While not a standalone silver bullet, its integration into Nigeria’s immunisation programme adds a powerful layer of protection, complementing existing tools like insecticide-treated nets and seasonal chemoprevention. The next challenge lies in scaling equitable distribution, driving uptake in rural communities, and ensuring sustainable financing for long-term impact.
Nigeria is also strengthening local capacity through homegrown solutions. The establishment of West Africa’s first LLIN manufacturing facility is a strategic step toward self-sufficiency. Previously, the country relied on imported insecticide-treated nets. However, under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), the Nigerian Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vestergaard to commence local production. This initiative aims to enhance Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in essential health commodities and strengthen its health industrial base.
A market assessment in 2011 estimated that the total size of the LLIN market could be around 48 million. According to reports, 127.9 million LLINs were distributed across 32 states in Nigeria in 2019. These distributions, largely reliant on imports, created vulnerabilities in supply chains and fostered foreign dependence. By producing LLINs locally, Nigeria secures a critical malaria prevention tool and boosts industrial growth and job creation.
Similarly, Lagos State’s digital malaria surveillance initiative is redefining how data informs decision-making. Malaria control efforts have has historically been hindered by delayed reporting and fragmented responses. Through the use of real-time data analytics, AI-powered case tracking, and geospatial mapping, Lagos is adopting a proactive approach: detecting outbreaks early, targeting interventions efficiently, and ensuring that resources reach the areas of greatest need. If scaled nationwide, this model has the potential to transform malaria surveillance across Nigeria.
Seizing the moment
Innovations alone will not eliminate malaria. Nigeria requires governance structures capable of sustaining progress. The National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and its sub-national counterparts play a vital role in coordinating efforts, ensuring policy coherence, and aligning resources across federal and state levels.
The 2025 MIS must go beyond a routine bureaucratic exercise. It should provide Nigeria with a high-resolution snapshot of where malaria persists, where interventions are falling short, and where future investments should be directed. The findings will form the foundation of the 2026 to 2030 National Malaria Strategic Plan, guiding accountability and precision in both planning and financing malaria interventions. Skipping or underfunding the survey would mean steering blindly at a time when informed action is essential.
For frontline health workers, the MIS 2025 should guide smarter deployment of vaccines and diagnostics. To win this fight, Nigeria must follow the data, embed malaria vaccines into routine immunisation programmes, harness digital surveillance, and deploy resources with ruthless efficiency.
Nigeria has reached a critical inflection point in its fight against malaria. The rollout of a historic vaccine, the growth of local manufacturing, and the introduction of digital surveillance signal a shift from containing the disease to actively controlling it, and potentially eliminating it.
To transform these breakthroughs into lasting blueprints, Nigeria must record and share its malaria journey. The world needs to hear about the successes, challenges, enablers, and lessons learned. This transparency will not only strengthen domestic commitment but also position Nigeria as a leader in malaria innovation, offering a model for other high-burden countries to follow.
The ambition is clear: a malaria-free Nigeria by 2030. The tools exist, momentum is growing. What remains is the commitment to sustain efforts, scale interventions, and systematically measure progress. Now, more than ever, is the time to act.