Environmental Sanitation: The First Line of Defence
According to NIMR’s Director of Research and Head of the Malaria Research Group, Dr. Adeola Olukosi, improving environmental hygiene and sanitation remains a critical strategy in reducing malaria transmission. She pointed to historical examples, noting that in regions where malaria has been eradicated, improved living conditions played a decisive role.
“In the United States and southern Europe, malaria used to be endemic. What eventually eliminated it, beyond wartime medical discoveries, was better living conditions,” Dr. Olukosi said.
She explained that even with the elimination of obvious mosquito breeding grounds like stagnant pools, smaller reservoirs of water—such as those collected in plants and leaves—continue to sustain malaria-carrying mosquitoes, highlighting the particular vulnerability of Nigeria’s environment to the disease.
Global Implications of Malaria in Nigeria
Nigeria bears the highest malaria burden in the world, accounting for 25 to 31 percent of global cases. Plasmodium falciparum, the most dangerous malaria parasite, dominates the country’s infection profile. Experts warn that global malaria elimination efforts will struggle unless Nigeria succeeds in controlling the disease within its borders.
“Malaria in Nigeria is unusually lethal and persistent,” Dr. Olukosi noted. “The intensity of transmission, favourable environmental conditions, and biological adaptation make it extremely difficult to eliminate.”
Malaria transmission in Nigeria varies across regions, with year-round, high-intensity transmission in the south and forest zones, and seasonal outbreaks in the Sahelian north. This heterogeneity complicates national control strategies.
Drug and Insecticide Resistance: Emerging Threats
Beyond environmental measures, surveillance of drug and insecticide resistance is critical. Nigeria relies heavily on artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), monitored every two years through 14 sentinel sites across the country. Although these drugs remain effective, resistance detected in East Asia poses a looming threat.
In addition, mosquito vectors are increasingly resistant to insecticides. NIMR recently confirmed the presence of Anopheles stephensi, an invasive species from Southeast Asia, in Nigeria. This mosquito thrives in urban areas, survives extreme heat, and resists multiple insecticides, making malaria control even more challenging.
NIMR’s Role in Malaria Research and Control
NIMR continues to support national malaria elimination efforts through research and technical assistance. Its Malaria Research Laboratory has been selected to analyse parasite identity to distinguish reinfection from treatment failure, complementing work in parasite genotyping and entomological surveillance.
“These efforts ensure that treatment policies remain effective and that control strategies adapt to emerging threats,” Dr. Olukosi said.
The Social Dimension of Malaria
Prof. John Obafunwa, Director-General of NIMR, highlighted how social and economic factors shape malaria prevention and treatment. In many communities, healthcare decisions can be delayed due to family hierarchies or financial constraints, particularly affecting women and children. Certain occupations, such as rice farming in waterlogged areas, also increase exposure to mosquitoes.
“Successful malaria control isn’t just about distributing bed nets or medicines,” Obafunwa said. “We need to consider the daily lives, vulnerabilities, and behaviour patterns of local populations.”
He called for more community engagement, improved diagnostics, and targeted support for marginalised groups as essential steps to reducing malaria’s impact nationwide.
A Call to Collective Action
Experts agree that ending malaria in Nigeria requires collaboration across all sectors. Government, private organizations, communities, and development partners must work together to address both environmental and social factors that sustain transmission.
“The bottom line is we cannot do it by ourselves,” Dr. Olukosi concluded. “We need synergy, cooperation, and assistance to achieve malaria elimination and contribute to global health targets.”