Nigeria has reduced malaria prevalence by half over the past decade, with the rate dropping from 42 percent in 2015 to 21 percent in 2026, according to the latest Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS).
The milestone was announced during a strategic meeting in Abuja between the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative in Nigeria, representatives of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership, and senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Pate described the achievement as evidence that strong collaboration between the government and international partners can deliver measurable improvements in public health.
“Global health partnerships must translate into measurable improvements in the lives of citizens. Stronger coordination among governments, development partners and implementing agencies delivers greater impact than fragmented efforts,” he said.
The minister commended partners for their contributions to combating HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, while highlighting key achievements under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative. These include the inauguration of the Advisory on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria (AMEN), progress in the local production of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and the ongoing revitalisation of primary healthcare centres across the country.
Despite the gains in malaria control, Prof. Pate warned that tuberculosis remains a major public health challenge requiring intensified efforts. He also raised concerns over persistent supply chain bottlenecks that have affected the efficiency of health programmes.
“We must build a more streamlined, resilient and efficient national supply chain system capable of supporting health interventions across the country, while increasing domestic financing to sustain these gains and reduce dependence on external support,” he said.
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, praised the progress made in disease control programmes, particularly in HIV prevention. She noted the growing acceptance of long-acting HIV prevention products among beneficiaries and called for similar innovations to be expanded to other disease areas where appropriate.
Chief Executive Officer of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, Michael Adekunle, commended Nigeria’s leadership in malaria control and revealed that the partnership had established an office in Addis Ababa, inspired in part by issues and priorities raised by Nigeria during previous engagements.
Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands acknowledged Nigeria’s significant HIV burden and expressed concern that the country receives comparatively fewer long-acting HIV prevention commodities than its disease burden warrants.
He also praised the Federal Government’s ongoing health sector reforms and commended the quality of Nigeria’s application under the new Global Fund Grant Cycle.
The meeting ended with all parties reaffirming their commitment to strengthening collaboration, improving supply chain performance, expanding sustainable domestic financing, and accelerating efforts to eliminate HIV, tuberculosis and malaria as major public health threats in Nigeria.