The development marks a major milestone in the country's ongoing battle against malaria, one of the leading causes of illness and death, particularly among children and pregnant women.
The progress was highlighted during a high-level strategic meeting involving the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, the Country Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), officials of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership, and senior management staff of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The meeting focused on reviewing progress made in the fight against HIV, Tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria, while identifying areas requiring stronger collaboration and investment to sustain gains and accelerate results.
Speaking during the engagement, Prof. Pate stressed that international health partnerships must ultimately translate into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
He noted that stronger coordination among governments, development partners, donor agencies and implementing organisations produces greater impact than fragmented interventions.
The minister commended development partners for their continued support in addressing Nigeria's disease burden and highlighted several achievements recorded under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
Among the notable milestones, he cited the inauguration of the Advisory on Malaria Elimination in Nigeria (AMEN), efforts to boost local production of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and ongoing investments aimed at revitalising primary healthcare centres across the country.
The decline in malaria prevalence, he said, demonstrates the value of sustained investment, improved coordination and community-based interventions in tackling public health challenges.
Despite the encouraging progress against malaria, the minister warned that Tuberculosis remains a major public health concern requiring renewed attention and stronger interventions.
He also expressed concern over persistent supply chain challenges that have affected the delivery of health commodities and programme implementation in recent years.
According to him, strengthening Nigeria's healthcare supply chain remains essential to ensuring that medicines, diagnostic tools and preventive commodities reach the people who need them most.
Prof. Pate further identified sustainability as one of the most pressing issues facing the health sector, stressing the importance of increasing domestic financing to reduce reliance on donor support and safeguard long-term health gains.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, also applauded the progress made across disease control programmes, particularly in HIV prevention efforts.
She pointed to the growing acceptance and demand for long-acting HIV prevention products among beneficiaries, describing the development as evidence of the positive impact of innovation in healthcare delivery.
Kachollom called for similar innovative approaches to be explored and expanded across other disease programmes where they could improve outcomes and accessibility.
Representing the Roll Back Malaria Partnership to End Malaria, Chief Executive Officer Michael Adekunle praised Nigeria's commitment and leadership in malaria control efforts.
He revealed that the partnership had recently established an office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, partly inspired by priorities and concerns consistently raised by Nigeria during previous engagements with global health stakeholders.
Adekunle noted that Nigeria's experiences and contributions continue to influence malaria control strategies across Africa and beyond.
In his remarks, Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands acknowledged Nigeria's significant HIV burden and expressed concern that the country receives relatively lower quantities of long-acting HIV prevention commodities compared to the scale of its needs.
He, however, commended the Federal Government for the reforms currently being implemented within the health sector and praised the quality of Nigeria's recently submitted application under the new Global Fund Grant Cycle.
Sands expressed confidence in the country's commitment to strengthening healthcare systems and achieving improved health outcomes for its population.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment by all stakeholders to deepen collaboration in the fight against HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Participants agreed on the need to strengthen domestic ownership of health programmes, improve supply chain efficiency, expand sustainable financing mechanisms and accelerate efforts toward eliminating the three diseases as major public health threats in Nigeria.
Health experts say the latest malaria prevalence figures provide evidence that targeted investments and coordinated interventions can deliver meaningful results. However, they caution that sustaining the gains will require continued funding, innovation, community engagement and stronger healthcare systems capable of responding to emerging challenges.