The first phase of the Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention Effect study has provided Nigeria with robust local evidence to guide national policy.
On 5 August 2026, government leaders, researchers and development partners gathered in Abuja for the national dissemination meeting of the Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention (PMC) Effect study. The meeting marked a pivotal moment in Nigeria's journey towards adopting a new intervention capable of protecting children during their most vulnerable years. The successful completion of the study has provided Nigeria with robust local evidence to guide national policy.
The study has generated compelling evidence that PMC can significantly reduce malaria among children under two years of age while being delivered effectively through Nigeria's existing primary healthcare system. These results have strengthened confidence among policymakers and partners that PMC can become an important addition to the country's comprehensive malaria prevention package.
"This is an important milestone that reflects the country's continued commitment to evidence-based innovation in the fight against malaria. We are proud to support the Federal Government in implementing programmes that protect millions of Nigerians from malaria and other preventable diseases," said Dr Oslusola Oresanya, Senior Technical Advisor - Implementation at Malaria Consortium.
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In the first phase of the study in Osun state between 2023 and 2025, children who received PMC experienced a 22 percent reduction in confirmed malaria cases, while overall health facility visits for illness fell by 19 percent. Those who received sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) -- a combination medication used to treat malaria -- benefited from more than 50 percent protection against malaria infection within 28 days of taking SP. Even greater protection was observed when PMC was combined with the use of insecticide-treated nets.
Beyond its effectiveness, the study confirmed that repeated monthly doses of SP are safe for young children, with no serious adverse drug reactions. Cost and operational analyses also showed that delivering PMC through existing routine immunisation services is affordable and can be integrated without creating parallel delivery systems.
These findings are especially encouraging for the future of prevention efforts in Nigeria. Mathematical modelling indicates that scaling up PMC across eligible areas in southern Nigeria between 2026 and 2030 could reduce clinical malaria cases among children aged 2-18 months by 20 to 35 percent, preventing tens of thousands of malaria episodes and significantly improving child survival.
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Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare said, "Today marks a significant step in our collective pursuit of innovative and data-driven solutions to eliminate malaria in Nigeria, and it is complemented by vital moments in our nations ongoing efforts to rethink and revitalise our malaria strategies. The finding from today's discussion will be vital in shaping how we adopt this intervention in our local contexts."
As stakeholders concluded the dissemination meeting, there was a shared sense of optimism. The evidence generated laid a strong foundation for policy adoption, offering Nigeria a practical opportunity to protect more children from malaria, reduce preventable illness and deaths, and accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
The next phase of the study, PMC-Effect Scale-up, is expected to begin in November. It will build on the lessons from the initial study to support PMC roll-out to the rest of Osun state, while documenting the factors that enable effective scale-up at different levels of the health system, and which could be applicable in similar contexts.
The PMC Effect Study was implemented by Malaria Consortium with funding from the Gates Foundation, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Northwestern University.
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