As the world commemorates World Malaria Day 2025 under the theme “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” Nigerian campaigners have sounded the alarm that the country’s dream of ending malaria may remain elusive unless urgent action is taken to strengthen the national health system.
In a statement on Thursday, Francis Nwapa, convener of the #EndMalariaInNigeria campaign, stressed the need for Nigeria to stop relying on foreign aid and instead invest in its own healthcare infrastructure.
“We need to stop relying on aid that has not truly helped us reduce malaria deaths. Nigeria must take ownership of the fight and begin to invest in our hospitals, labs, and environmental health systems,” Nwapa said.
His remarks follow the recent withdrawal of malaria funding to African nations by the United States, a move that has sparked concerns across the continent.
Nwapa, however, argued that the foreign funds previously allocated were not effectively utilized in Nigeria, accusing some government officials of mismanaging resources meant for malaria control.
The group pointed to the collapse of local efforts like the Nigerian Vaccine Production Centre in Yaba, Lagos, which was once a major producer of vaccines for diseases like smallpox and yellow fever between 1940 and 1991. Today, the facility lies in ruins.
“That centre could have played a major role in producing malaria vaccines today. But it was abandoned. It shows how we’ve failed to build on our own successes,” Nwapa said.
According to the statement, past international projects such as the Roll Back Malaria programme, which involved the World Bank, UNICEF, UNDP, and WHO, did not significantly lower Nigeria’s malaria death rate despite large financial investments.
In recent years, the Nigerian government has launched new efforts like the End Malaria Council, first inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022 and later re-inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu in 2024. The council is chaired by billionaire Aliko Dangote and includes top business leaders like Femi Otedola and Tony Elumelu.
However, the #EndMalariaInNigeria campaign questioned the effectiveness of the council, criticizing the absence of environmental health experts on the team.
“It feels more like a business project than a real health intervention,” Nwapa said. “Where are the professionals who understand mosquito control and public health?”
The World Health Organization has noted that children from the poorest households in sub-Saharan Africa are five times more likely to contract malaria than those from wealthier homes. In Nigeria, worsening poverty is making it harder for families to access healthcare and live in clean environments.
Nwapa believes that government should prioritize proper housing, constant electricity, and better waste management as part of its malaria control strategy.
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“Simple things like good drainage, clean water, and power supply can stop mosquitoes from breeding. We must build modern systems to support healthy living,” he said.
Despite being one of the most malaria-endemic countries in the world, Nigeria still records over 100 million cases of malaria every year, contributing to 30% of childhood deaths, 25% of deaths in babies under one year old, and 11% of maternal deaths annually.
In contrast, African countries like Mauritius, Algeria, Egypt, and most recently Cape Verde, have been declared malaria-free by the WHO after recording no local cases for at least three years.
Nwapa concluded by calling on the government to declare a public health emergency on malaria and take full responsibility for protecting its citizens.
“Until our leaders stop flying abroad for treatment and start fixing our health system here at home, Nigerians will continue to die needlessly from a preventable disease,” he said.