WHO Reports Sustained Decline in Nigeria’s Malaria Prevalence

The World Health Organization (WHO) has lauded Nigeria’s efforts in the fight against malaria, citing a steady decline in infection rates and expanded access to prevention and treatment services nationwide.

The global health body attributed the gains to strengthened surveillance systems, wider distribution of insecticide-treated nets, expanded seasonal malaria chemoprevention programmes, and improved case management.

Speaking at a dissemination meeting organised by the Malaria Consortium, WHO Malaria Programme Manager Lynda Ozor said the latest Malaria Indicator Survey confirmed a sustained drop in prevalence from 42 percent in 2010 to 22 percent in 2021, with further declines recorded in more recent data.

Describing the trend as evidence of Nigeria’s commitment to integrated malaria control strategies, she said, “We are now seeing the benefits of those efforts.”

Addressing growing concerns about the safety of the malaria vaccine currently being administered in selected states, Ozor stressed that WHO only recommends vaccines after rigorous scientific evaluation.

She explained that medical products undergo extensive testing before approval, and Nigeria’s regulatory authorities, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), also conduct independent assessments before deployment.

In her remarks, National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Nnenna Chizaram Ogbulafor, noted that Nigeria began deploying the malaria vaccine in 2024, starting with Kebbi and Bayelsa states under a phased rollout.

As part of the country’s routine immunisation schedule, the vaccine is administered in four doses at five, six and seven months, with a booster at 15 months.

Nigeria continues to bear the world’s highest malaria burden, accounting for approximately 27 percent of global cases and 32 percent of deaths. In 2021 alone, the country recorded about 68 million cases and 194,000 deaths, according to WHO.