The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating malaria elimination across the nation, announcing plans to advance policy measures for the large-scale rollout of Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention (PMC). Speaking at the PMC Dissemination Meeting held on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, outlined the strategic intervention aimed at protecting children under two years of age in regions experiencing year-round malaria transmission.
Dr. Salako described the meeting as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s pursuit of innovative, data-driven public health solutions, noting that the underlying implementation research provides essential evidence to guide national policy. Initiated in 2023 under the National Malaria Strategic Plan (2021–2025), the pilot program—managed by the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP)—tested PMC (formerly Intermittent Preventive Treatment in infants) in states ineligible for Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) to generate actionable data for protecting vulnerable infants under 24 months.
The intervention directly aligns with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommending that endemic nations complement core vector control, rapid diagnosis, and treatment with targeted preventive measures. Dr. Salako assured stakeholders that the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will continue leveraging the National Malaria Strategic Plan (2026–2030) to strengthen health systems and optimize resources. He emphasized that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, malaria elimination remains an urgent, top-tier national priority.
Highlighting measurable progress, the Minister disclosed key findings from the 2025 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey, which showed national malaria prevalence dropping dramatically from 42% in 2010 to 15% in 2025. Despite this encouraging decline, Dr. Salako acknowledged the severe burden Nigeria still carries, contributing 24.3% of global malaria cases and 30.3% of related deaths. This stark reality underscores the critical need to intensify targeted interventions across high-risk demographics.
The newly generated research provides a strategic framework for sub-national deployment, particularly across southern states where malaria persists year-round. Furthermore, scaling up PMC addresses historical health inequities by extending life-saving chemoprevention to infants in southern regions who do not benefit from Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention—a tool that has already driven down under-five mortality rates significantly across northern Nigeria.
To transition these findings into action, Dr. Salako directed the Department of Public Health and the NMEP to initiate the formal policy mechanisms required for nationwide PMC adoption. Alongside the policy framework, the Ministry will conduct rigorous cost-effectiveness assessments to ensure the program’s long-term operational and financial sustainability across all participating states.
In closing, the Minister expressed deep gratitude to the research teams, development partners, state governments, frontline health workers, the Gates Foundation, and the Malaria Consortium for their contributions to the field study. Calling the research outcomes highly promising for shaping Nigeria’s health trajectory, Dr. Salako urged all public and private stakeholders to translate this scientific evidence into immediate, concrete actions toward achieving a malaria-free nation.