{"id":922367,"date":"2026-07-25T06:17:26","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T11:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/25\/why-malaria-is-still-killing-nigerians\/"},"modified":"2026-07-25T06:17:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T11:17:26","slug":"why-malaria-is-still-killing-nigerians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/25\/why-malaria-is-still-killing-nigerians\/","title":{"rendered":"Why malaria is still killing Nigerians"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Victor TalksHealth<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Nigeria accounts for 30.3 percent of every malaria death on earth. Treatments exist. Bed nets have been distributed by the hundreds of millions. A new strategic plan for 2026\u20132030 has just been launched. So why are more Nigerians still dying from malaria than from anywhere else in the world? The answers involve counterfeit drugs, emerging resistance, broken supply chains, and a disease that has quietly been learning how to survive the medicines we throw at it.<\/p>\n

In June 2024, in the dense market of Bariga, Lagos, a hawker was advertising \u201cbaba wonder super balm\u201d through a horn speaker, claiming it could cure malaria, skin infections, and sickle cell disease \u2014 all for 500 naira. No branded label. No regulatory number. And people were buying it. This scene, ordinary by Nigerian market standards, captures one dimension of a crisis that kills more people in Nigeria than anywhere else on the planet.<\/p>\n

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) global malaria report 2025, Nigeria accounts for 24.3 percent of all global malaria cases and 30.3 percent of all malaria deaths \u2014 meaning nearly one in three people who die of malaria anywhere in the world dies in Nigeria. In absolute numbers, this represents hundreds of thousands of Nigerians every year, the majority of them children under the age of five. Despite significant progress \u2014 malaria parasite prevalence falling from 42 percent in 2010 to 15 percent in 2025 \u2014 Nigeria remains the world\u2019s single heaviest malaria burden country, and the disease is actively evolving new ways to resist the drugs used to treat it.<\/p>\n

Why Malaria Is Still Killing Nigerians<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe persistence of malaria in Nigeria is not the result of any single failure. It is the product of several interlocking problems that reinforce each other in ways that are difficult to untangle.
\nThe most fundamental challenge is structural. Nigeria\u2019s health system lacks the infrastructure to sustain comprehensive malaria control across 36 states and the FCT, a territory the size of France and Germany combined, with a population of over 200 million. Access to rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) remains inconsistent across primary health care centres, particularly in rural and northern states. Many patients, particularly in poor communities, never reach a facility with reliable supplies and instead self-medicate with whatever is available in the market.<\/p>\n

Self-medication with over-the-counter antimalarials is almost universal in Nigeria. A study assessing treatment failure in Ebonyi State found that most malaria patients source their drugs from open markets and patent medicine stores rather than health facilities \u2014 a pattern repeated across the country. This creates conditions under which drug quality cannot be assured, doses are frequently incorrect, and treatment courses are abandoned partway through when symptoms temporarily improve.<\/p>\n

Nigeria\u2019s tropical climate, combined with inadequate drainage systems in urban areas, poor refuse management, and widespread informal settlements, creates near-ideal conditions for year-round Anopheles mosquito breeding. Over 97 percent of Nigeria\u2019s population lives in areas classified as at risk of malaria transmission. Unlike countries that can push transmission into a seasonal window, Nigeria is fighting malaria twelve months a year, everywhere.<\/p>\n

Nigeria\u2019s Malaria Burden By The Numbers (WHO world malaria report 2025)
\nNigeria accounts for 24.3% of all global malaria cases and 30.3% of all global malaria deaths in 2024
\n610,000 people died of malaria globally in 2024 \u2014 nearly 185,000 of them in Nigeria
\n75% of malaria deaths in Africa are in children under 5 years old
\nMalaria parasite prevalence has fallen from 42% (2010) to 15% (2025) \u2014 real progress, but still far too high
\nNigeria accounts for 54.6% of all malaria cases in West Africa
\nCase incidence decreased by only 1.5% between 2023 and 2024 \u2014 progress is slowing<\/p>\n

How Counterfeit Antimalarials Are Fuelling Deaths and Resistance
\nIn September 2025, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) intercepted 277 cartons of counterfeit and unregistered malaria drugs valued at over \u20a61.2 billion in a warehouse in the Ilasa-Oshodi area of Lagos. The drugs, branded as \u201cMalamal Forte,\u201d were concealed in cartons labelled as Diclofenac Potassium 50mg and had been illegally imported from a pharmaceutical company in China. They were falsely declared as spare parts to evade customs detection.<\/p>\n

This interception was not an isolated incident. In 2024, NAFDAC destroyed smuggled, expired, and fake drugs estimated at \u20a611 billion in Ibadan, Oyo State alone. The scale of the counterfeit drug market in Nigeria reflects a convergence of factors: high demand for cheap antimalarials in a population where over 133 million people are multidimensionally poor, weak supply chain oversight at the last mile, and a thriving informal drug market that operates beyond regulatory reach.<\/p>\n

The consequences are two-fold and deadly. A person who takes a counterfeit antimalarial that contains no active ingredient, or an insufficient quantity of it, receives no therapeutic benefit and dies of untreated malaria. But the second consequence is arguably worse at a population level: sub-therapeutic drug doses \u2014 doses too low to kill the parasite but high enough to expose it to the drug \u2014 create precisely the selection pressure that drives drug resistance. The parasite is trained by repeated low-level exposure to survive the medicine. Fake drugs do not just kill individual patients.<\/p>\n

They are actively eroding the effectiveness of the drugs that protect everyone.<\/p>\n

How To Spot Fake Antimalarial Drugs<\/strong><\/em>
\n1) Always buy antimalarials from a registered pharmacy, government health facility, or NAFDAC-approved outlet \u2014 never from open markets or roadside hawkers
\n2) Check for the NAFDAC registration number on the packaging. Verify it on the NAFDAC website (www.nafdac.gov.ng ) or by texting the number to the NAFDAC verification line
\n3) Inspect the packaging carefully: genuine drugs have consistent print quality, proper seals, and clear expiry dates. Poor printing, misspellings, or broken seals are warning signs
\n4) Be suspicious of unusually cheap antimalarials \u2014 if the price seems too good to be true, the drug likely is too
\n5) Do not buy loose tablets from unlabelled containers or market hawkers \u2014 regardless of the price or the seller\u2019s claims
\nReport suspected fake drugs to NAFDAC: 0800-162-3322 (toll-free)<\/p>\n

Drug-Resistant Malaria in Africa<\/strong><\/em>
\nMalaria parasites have a long history of developing resistance to the drugs used against them. Chloroquine became largely ineffective in sub-Saharan Africa by the 1990s due to widespread resistance. Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) followed a similar trajectory. Both drugs were replaced by artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), which became the global standard treatment and have saved millions of lives.<\/p>\n

Now, the WHO World Malaria Report 2025 has delivered an alarming warning: partial resistance to artemisinin derivatives \u2014 the backbone of modern malaria treatment \u2014 has been confirmed or suspected in at least 8 countries in Africa. A systematic review of molecular surveillance in Nigeria published in 2025 found a high prevalence of mutations associated with resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, particularly in specific genetic markers (Pfcrt and Pfdhfr genes).<\/p>\n

While the review found a low frequency of artemisinin-specific resistance markers (Pfk13 mutations) in Nigeria to date, a separate 2026 molecular surveillance study found evidence of clonal expansion of infections with characteristics that require continued close monitoring.<\/p>\n

The epicentre of artemisinin partial resistance in Africa is currently East Africa \u2014 particularly Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. In Uganda, more than half of malaria parasites in some districts now carry validated resistance markers. The concern for West Africa, including Nigeria, is that this resistance does not remain geographically contained.<\/p>\n

Resistance mutations spread through human movement, through the circulation of parasites across borders, and through the continued selection pressure created by sub-therapeutic drug exposure \u2014 including, critically, through counterfeit drugs.<\/p>\n

The clinical consequence of partial artemisinin resistance is slower parasite clearance \u2014 the drug takes longer to kill the parasite. In a patient being treated with a combination therapy, this means the parasite survives long enough to be exposed to the partner drug alone, creating the conditions for resistance to that drug as well.<\/p>\n

This is exactly how ACT resistance unfolded catastrophically in Southeast Asia, where it spread from Cambodia to multiple countries and produced a severe treatment crisis. African health authorities and the WHO are working urgently to prevent a repeat of that scenario on this continent.<\/p>\n

Understanding drug-resistant Malaria<\/strong><\/em>
\nDrug resistance develops when malaria parasites change genetically (mutate) in ways that allow them to survive drug treatment.
\nResistance is driven by incomplete treatment courses, sub-therapeutic doses (including from fake drugs), and overuse of drugs without proper diagnosis.
\nChloroquine resistance is now widespread across Nigeria \u2014 do not use chloroquine as a malaria treatment unless specifically advised by a doctor
\nArtemisinin partial resistance has emerged in East Africa (Uganda, Rwanda) and is being closely monitored across the continent.
\nNigeria\u2019s molecular surveillance (2025) shows low but present chloroquine and SP resistance markers; artemisinin-specific resistance remains low but requires ongoing monitoring.
\nIf your malaria symptoms persist or return within 28 days of completing ACT treatment, see a doctor \u2014 do not simply buy more drugs. This could indicate treatment failure.<\/p>\n

Nigeria\u2019s New Malaria Strategic Plan 2026\u20132030<\/strong><\/em>
\nOn World Malaria Day 2026, the Federal Government launched the new National Malaria Strategic Plan (NMSP) 2026\u20132030 \u2014 the country\u2019s most ambitious malaria roadmap to date. The plan was unveiled by the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, and represents a significant evolution from the preceding 2021\u20132025 plan.<\/p>\n

The 2026\u20132030 NMSP has a core numerical target: reduce malaria parasite prevalence and mortality by 50 percent from 2025 levels by 2030. It is grounded in what the Ministry describes as \u201csubnational tailoring\u201d \u2014 the recognition that malaria transmission, health system capacity, and community behaviours differ dramatically between states and local government areas, and that a one-size-fits-all national programme has limits. Interventions under the new plan are designed to reflect the specific realities of different communities.<\/p>\n

The plan is aligned with three global frameworks: Nigeria\u2019s own National Health Sector Strategic Blueprint, the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), and the WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria (GTS). It is backed by the Advisory on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria (AMEN), a council of international experts providing technical direction. The government has pointed to the distribution of over 500 million insecticide-treated nets since 2015 and the expansion of seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) as evidence of the programme\u2019s momentum.<\/p>\n

Nigeria also receives the largest share of global SMC \u2014 preventive antimalarial medicines given to young children during peak transmission season \u2014 of any country in the world, reaching tens of millions of children annually. The 2025 WHO report credited this intervention as one of the genuine success stories in Nigeria\u2019s malaria response.<\/p>\n

Key Pillars Of Nigeria\u2019s National Malaria Strategic Plan 2026\u20132030<\/strong><\/em>
\nTarget: reduce malaria prevalence and mortality by 50% from 2025 levels by 2030.
\nSubnational tailoring: interventions designed for the specific epidemiological and health system realities of each state and LGA.
\nVector control: continued scale-up of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying, and larval source management.
\nChemoprevention: expansion of seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) for children and intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp)
\nDiagnosis and treatment: improving access to rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and quality-assured ACTs at primary health care level.
\nDrug resistance surveillance: strengthened molecular monitoring of antimalarial resistance markers across all geopolitical zones.
\nCounterfeit drug control: enhanced NAFDAC enforcement and supply chain verification for antimalarial medicines.
\nThe R21\/Matrix-M malaria vaccine: Nigeria is among countries rolling out the WHO-approved vaccine for children, with potential to significantly reduce childhood malaria deaths.<\/p>\n

What Every Nigerian Household Should Do Right Now<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe malaria battle cannot be won by government and health agencies alone. Every household is a frontline. Here is what the evidence recommends for Nigerian families:
\nUse insecticide-treated nets every night, every person, every night of the year \u2014 not just during rainy season. Ensure that free nets distributed through government programmes are used and not sold. When a household member has a fever, go for a rapid diagnostic test before taking antimalarials \u2014 not every fever is malaria, and treating non-malaria fever with antimalarials wastes drugs and accelerates resistance. When malaria is confirmed, complete the full ACT course as prescribed, even when you feel better after two days.<\/p>\n

Buy antimalarials only from registered pharmacies or health facilities. And report suspected fake drugs to NAFDAC immediately.<\/p>\n

Victor Aniogbu (Victor TalksHealth) is a Human Anatomist and Wellness Advocate. <\/strong><\/em>
\nHe wrote in from Owerri.<\/strong><\/em>
\nFor feedback, email\u2013 vi*****************<\/span>@***<\/span>il.com<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Victor TalksHealth Nigeria accounts for 30.3 percent of every malaria death on earth. Treatments exist. Bed nets have been distributed by the hundreds of millions. A new strategic plan for 2026\u20132030 has just been launched. So why are more Nigerians still dying from malaria than from anywhere else in the world? The answers involve counterfeit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":922368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2446,25914],"tags":[14906,9487],"class_list":["post-922367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-killing","category-malaria","tag-killing","tag-malaria"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=922367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922367\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/922368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=922367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=922367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=922367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}