The Senate has passed for a third reading a bill seeking the establishment of the National Agency for Malaria Elimination, a move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s efforts to prevent, control and ultimately eradicate malaria.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), scaled its final legislative hurdle following the consideration and adoption of a report presented by the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), chaired by Senator Ipalibo Harry Banigo (Rivers West).
According to the committee, the agency will serve as the central coordinating body for malaria elimination programmes across the country, driving a strategic shift from treatment-focused interventions to prevention, control and eradication measures.
The agency is expected to establish zonal and state offices to ensure effective implementation of its mandate through a framework anchored on scientific evidence, legal backing and accountability.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, described the bill as a landmark intervention in Nigeria’s fight against malaria, noting that the disease remains one of the country’s most persistent public health challenges.
Speaking with Senate correspondents shortly after the passage of the bill, Senator Nwoko expressed optimism that malaria elimination in Nigeria is both achievable and necessary.
He said the proposed agency would champion initiatives such as improved waste management, environmental fumigation, enhanced mosquito control measures and support for vaccine research and development.
According to him, the establishment of the agency could position Nigeria to become the first malaria-free nation in Africa.
The passage of the bill comes amid renewed global efforts to combat malaria. Last month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced the prequalification of Artemether-lumefantrine, the first malaria treatment specifically formulated for newborns and young infants.
WHO said the prequalification confirms that the medicine meets international standards for quality, safety and efficacy. Prior to its approval, infants were often treated using formulations designed for older children, increasing the risk of dosage errors, adverse effects and toxicity.
Commenting on recent advances in malaria control, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said innovations in vaccines, diagnostic tools, next-generation mosquito nets and effective medicines are helping to accelerate progress against the disease.
“Ending malaria in our lifetime is no longer a dream—it is a real possibility, but only with sustained political and financial commitment,” he said.
According to WHO estimates, malaria accounted for approximately 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024 across 80 countries. Africa continues to bear the heaviest burden, accounting for about 95 per cent of cases and deaths, while children under the age of five represent nearly three-quarters of all malaria-related fatalities.
The global health body, however, warned that progress towards malaria elimination is being threatened by growing drug and insecticide resistance, diagnostic challenges and declining international funding for malaria programmes.
It also noted that nearly 70 per cent of countries worldwide lack sufficiently robust regulatory systems to effectively oversee medicines, vaccines, diagnostic tests and medical devices.
If signed into law, the National Agency for Malaria Elimination is expected to play a pivotal role in coordinating Nigeria’s response to one of its most significant public health threats and advancing efforts toward a malaria-free future.
