The Federal Government has reported a decline in malaria parasite prevalence among Nigerian children aged six to 59 months from 22 per cent in 2021 to 15.2 per cent in 2025, setting a target to reduce 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, said the decline of 6.8 percentage points reflected progress in the country’s efforts to combat malaria.
He said the achievement aligned with the Federal Government’s commitment to improving health outcomes under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The minister cited Kebbi State as an example of the progress recorded, noting that malaria prevalence there dropped from 49 per cent in 2021 to 18 per cent in 2025.
He, however, warned that the improvement should not be mistaken for the elimination of malaria, stressing the need to sustain interventions and strengthen preventive measures nationwide.
According to him, the survey also showed that among households that owned 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 need to promote consistent use of mosquito nets to protect vulnerable groups against malaria infection.
Pate explained that the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2026–2030 was aligned with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and developed through the Sector-Wide Approach, guided by the principle of “One Plan, One Budget, One Report, One Conversation.”
He added that the plan’s Sub-National Tailoring approach would ensure that malaria interventions were directed towards areas with the highest disease burden, using local epidemiological evidence to guide decisions.
The Director-General of the National Population Commission, Dr. Abuh Muhammed, said the survey demonstrated the importance of collaboration between the National Malaria Elimination Programme and the commission.
Muhammed explained that the partnership combined technical expertise in malaria control with the commission’s survey infrastructure and field operations to generate reliable data for planning and policy formulation.
He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to evidence-based planning and urged policymakers and development partners to use the survey findings to direct resources to areas where they were most needed.
The health minister also called on state governments to take ownership of their respective survey findings, align malaria control plans and budgets with identified needs, and ensure the timely release of funds for implementation.
He urged development partners to align their investments and technical assistance with national priorities to improve the effectiveness of malaria control programmes.
Pate commended the National Malaria Elimination Programme, the National Population Commission and other partners for their contributions to the survey.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening domestic financing, improving disease surveillance and sustaining a coordinated and accountable national response to reduce malaria infections and deaths across the country.
