FG Reports Drop in Malaria Prevalence to 15.2%, Targets 50% Reduction by 2030
The Federal Government has reported a decline in malaria parasite prevalence among Nigerian children aged 6–59 months from 22 per cent in 2021 to 15.2 per cent in 2025, setting a target to cut malaria prevalence and malaria-related deaths by 50 per cent by 2030.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of the 2025 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey (NMIS) Report and the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2026–2030.
Pate, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom S., mni, described the decline as evidence of progress in the country’s malaria control efforts.
He said the 6.8 percentage-point reduction reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to improving health outcomes under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The minister, however, cautioned that the improvement should not be mistaken for the elimination of malaria, stressing the need to sustain and strengthen ongoing interventions.
He cited Kebbi State as an example of progress, noting that malaria prevalence in the state declined significantly from 49 per cent in 2021 to 18 per cent in 2025.
According to him, the survey also revealed that among households owning insecticide-treated mosquito nets, 72.3 per cent of children and 80.6 per cent of pregnant women slept under the nets.
He said the figures highlighted the importance of promoting consistent use of insecticide-treated nets to protect vulnerable populations against malaria.
Pate explained that the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2026–2030 aligns with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and is being implemented through the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp).
He said the strategy operates under the principle of “One Plan, One Budget, One Report, One Conversation” to promote coordination, accountability and effective resource utilisation across the health sector.
The minister added that the plan’s Sub-National Tailoring approach would ensure that malaria interventions are directed towards areas with the highest disease burden, using local epidemiological data to guide decisions.
In his remarks, the Director-General of the National Population Commission, Dr. Abuh Muhammed, highlighted the importance of collaboration between the National Malaria Elimination Programme and the commission in producing reliable data to guide malaria control policies.
He said the partnership combines technical expertise in malaria control with the commission’s survey infrastructure and field operations.
Muhammed reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to evidence-based planning and urged policymakers and development partners to use the survey findings to direct resources towards areas where they are most needed.
The minister called on state governments to take ownership of the survey findings, align their malaria control plans and budgets with identified needs, and ensure timely release of funds for implementation.
He also urged development partners to align their investments and technical support with Nigeria’s malaria control priorities.
Pate commended the National Malaria Elimination Programme, the National Population Commission and other partners involved in the survey, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening domestic financing, improving disease surveillance and sustaining coordinated efforts to reduce malaria infections and deaths nationwide.
