Malaria Drop Offers Hope As FG Targets 50% Cut In Deaths By 2030
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
For a mother watching her child battle a fever through the night, malaria is more than a public health statistic; it is a frightening race to get treatment before the illness turns deadly.
But new figures from the Federal Government offer a measure of hope, with malaria parasite prevalence among Nigerian children aged six to 59 months falling from 22 per cent in 2021 to 15.2 per cent in 2025.
Despite the progress, malaria remains a major threat to children and pregnant women, prompting the Federal Government to set an ambitious target of cutting malaria prevalence and malaria-related deaths by 50 per cent from 2025 levels by 2030
The Federal Government of Nigeria at the launch of the 2025 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey (NMIS) Report and the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2026-2030 in Abuja said it is targeting a further 50 per cent reduction in malaria prevalence and malaria-related deaths by 2030.
This announcement by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, came as government steps up efforts to tackle one of Nigeria’s most persistent public health challenges.
The Minister, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom S., said the decline in malaria prevalence among children aged six to 59 months represents progress, but warned that the country is still far from eliminating the disease.
He cited Kebbi State as an example of the gains recorded, noting that malaria prevalence there dropped sharply from 49 per cent in 2021 to 18 per cent in 2025.
He however, stressed that the improvement must not create a false sense of security, urging governments and health partners to sustain and strengthen malaria prevention and treatment efforts.
Bed net use remains a challenge
The survey also highlighted the importance of insecticide-treated nets in protecting vulnerable populations.
According to the minister, among households that owned insecticide-treated nets, 72.3 per cent of children and 80.6 per cent of pregnant women slept under one.
The figures point to the need to ensure that households not only have access to mosquito nets but also use them consistently, particularly to protect children and pregnant women, who face heightened risks from malaria.
New strategy targets high-burden areas
The National Malaria Strategic Plan 2026-2030 is designed to direct interventions and resources towards communities with the greatest malaria burden, using local epidemiological evidence to guide decisions.
Pate said the plan aligns with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and is being implemented through the Sector-Wide Approach, guided by the principle of “One Plan, One Budget, One Report, One Conversation”.
The approach is intended to improve coordination among government institutions, development partners and other stakeholders, while reducing duplication and ensuring that available resources produce measurable results.
He called on state governments to take ownership of their survey findings, align malaria programmes and budgets with identified needs, and release funds promptly to support implementation.
Development partners were also urged to align their financial and technical support with Nigeria’s national priorities.
NPC pledges support for evidence-based action
The Director-General of the National Population Commission, Dr Abuh Muhammed, said the survey demonstrated the value of collaboration between the National Malaria Elimination Programme and the commission.
He explained that the partnership combined malaria-control expertise with the commission’s survey infrastructure and field operations to generate evidence for public health planning.
Muhammed reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to supporting evidence-based policymaking and urged government officials and development partners to use the findings to direct resources to areas where they are most needed.
The Federal Government, meanwhile, pledged to strengthen domestic financing, improve disease surveillance and sustain a coordinated national response.
While the fall in malaria prevalence marks progress, achieving the 2030 target will depend on whether the gains can be sustained across states.
Or if preventive measures can reach vulnerable households, and governments provide the funding needed to turn the new strategy into action.
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