In a country that carries one of the largest malaria burdens in the world, a plummeting prevalence in the disease was celebrated with a visit from RBM Partnership to End Malaria's CEO.
Nigeria has recorded a significant reduction in malaria prevalence over the past 15 years, with the rate declining from 42 per cent in 2010 to 15.2 per cent in 2025. This encouraging development is the culmination of sustained investments, strategic partnerships and evidence-based interventions in the fight against one of the country's most persistent public health challenges.
Since beginning its work in Nigeria in 2008, Malaria Consortium has been a key partner in Nigeria's malaria response, working alongside the government and others to scale proven malaria interventions, strengthen health systems and generate evidence to inform national policy. These efforts have contributed to the impressive gains made, despite the country continuing to carry one of the world's heaviest malaria burdens.
The milestone was highlighted by Dr Michael Adekunle Charles, the Chief Executive Officer of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, during a courtesy visit to Malaria Consortium's country office in Abuja, Nigeria. He noted that expanded access to insecticide-treated mosquito nets, improved malaria diagnosis and treatment services, strengthened disease surveillance systems and increased public awareness have collectively contributed to the reduction in malaria prevalence.
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"This progress demonstrates that when governments, partners and communities work together, meaningful results can be achieved. While we celebrate this achievement, there is still much work to be done to ensure that every Nigerian is protected from malaria," he said.
Despite the gains, Nigeria remains one of the countries most affected by malaria globally, accounting for a substantial proportion of the global malaria burden. The disease continues to disproportionately affect children under five years of age and pregnant women. And, while overall national progress is positive, the variation in the malaria burden across states underscores the need for continued tailoring to ensure that these efforts are sustained.
At the meeting, representatives of Malaria Consortium welcomed the positive trend, acknowledging the role that the organisation has played in that downward turn, and reiterated the importance of maintaining momentum through continued investment in proven malaria prevention and control interventions.
Dr Maxwell Kolawole, West & Central Africa Programmes Director at Malaria Consortium, said "Malaria Consortium is proud to have worked alongside government and partners to achieve this remarkable progress. Together, we have reached an unprecedented scale in delivering life-saving malaria interventions. As we celebrate these gains, we remain committed to strengthening partnerships and advancing nationwide scale-up efforts to ensure that every vulnerable population is reached and protected from malaria."
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The organisation further emphasised that efforts such as seasonal malaria chemoprevention, integrated community case management, distribution and proper use of insecticide-treated nets, behaviour change communication and strengthened health systems all remain essential to achieving further reductions in malaria cases and deaths.
Dr Charles also called for increased funding and wider adoption of innovative malaria control tools, such as malaria vaccines, environmental management measures and community-led prevention initiatives. He stressed that long-term malaria elimination would require a whole-of-society approach -- involving governments, development partners, the private sector and citizens.
The reported decline in malaria prevalence serves as evidence that sustained commitment and collaboration can deliver measurable health outcomes. Malaria Consortium remains committed to supporting national and sub-national governments, communities and partners to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
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