Nigeria accounts for over 27% of global malaria burden and 31% of the estimated deaths. To put this into perspective, in 2021 alone, 194,000 deaths were reported from the mosquito-borne disease in Nigeria. Malaria is transmitted throughout Nigeria, with 97% of the population at risk. Experts have reported that pregnant women and under-five children are most at risk of the disease.
Yet, access to affordable treatment continue to be challenging. A major reason for this is that Nigeria imports over 70% of medicines, including life-saving malaria medicines and diagnostics, from China and India. The reliance on imported malaria commodities such as Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs), Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) continues to undermine Nigeria’s malaria response. But a new presidential initiative is opening the door for transformative change, as local manufacturers are being urged to step up.
The burden of dependency
For decades, Nigeria has depended on donor-funded imports to meet most of its malaria-related healthcare needs. While this supply chain has supported national control programs, it has also made Nigeria vulnerable to global market dynamics, logistical delays, and supply chain disruptions.
Available evidence also suggests that it contributes to stock-outs of RDTs and ACTs. Moreover, prices fluctuate unpredictably, and communities are often left unprotected during peak transmission seasons. These challenges have created bottlenecks not only for malaria control but also for broader public health resilience.
The human cost of this dependency became starkly apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic when Amina, a pregnant mother in rural Kaduna State, walked 15 kilometers to a health facility only to find that malaria rapid tests were out of stock. Her story echoes across Nigeria, where supply interruptions force families to seek care from unregulated sources or go without treatment entirely.
What local manufacturing can achieve
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the many challenges in medicine and medical supply chains, including over-reliance on pharmaceutical imports. Among other things, it showed that supply interruptions have numerous implications, including widespread use of substandard antimalarial medicines.
While there are up to 375 medicine producers in Africa, reports indicate that only six manufacture drugs to World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification (PQ) standards. Only recently, in 2024, did Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited (Swipha) become the first Nigerian manufacturer of WHO-prequalified sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, used for preventing malaria in those most at-risk – children and pregnant women.
A success story: Swipha’s breakthrough
Swipha’s achievement represents more than a manufacturing milestone. It demonstrates Nigeria’s capacity to meet international quality standards. This success provides a blueprint for other manufacturers while proving that local production can compete globally on quality.
With the right support, local manufacturing of malaria medicines offers several advantages:
Improved Access & Availability
When diagnostics and treatments are produced domestically, they can be distributed more quickly to health facilities, including those in remote or conflict-affected areas. Additionally, local producers can align their output with Nigeria’s actual disease burden and seasonal needs, improving efficiency.
Cost Reductions & Economic Value
While upfront investments in local manufacturing are substantial, the long-term payoff is significant. Economies of scale, lower freight costs, and reduced currency exposure can eventually lower unit costs. Local production also stimulates job creation in pharmaceuticals, logistics, engineering, and quality assurance contributing to Nigeria’s broader goal of economic diversification.
Health Security & Sovereignty
Producing essential malaria commodities within Nigeria strengthens national health security by reducing exposure to global supply shocks and geopolitical trade frictions. Importantly, it allows Nigeria to respond quickly to outbreaks or emergencies, using available local capacity. During the 2020 global supply crisis, countries with robust local pharmaceutical manufacturing maintained treatment availability while import-dependent nations faced critical shortages.
How PVAC Is laying the foundation
Recognizing these opportunities, the Nigerian government launched the Presidential Initiative on Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) in 2023. This initiative aims to usher in a new era of local manufacturing of malaria medicines, diagnostics, and prevention tools. The plan prioritizes:
- Anti-infectives, including antimalarial drugs like sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and artemisinin-based combinations
- Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) for malaria
- Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs), a key tool in malaria prevention.
By 2030, the goal is for 70% of Nigeria’s health commodities to be locally produced. This includes establishing at least five new medical supplies and diagnostics plants, attracting foreign investment, and creating over 30,000 skilled jobs, including those supporting malaria control efforts.
To achieve these goals, PVAC commits to:
- Supporting tariff waivers and regulatory fast-tracking for investments in local drug and diagnostic production.
- Providing technical assistance and market shaping to ensure demand and sustainability.
- Improving access to capital for Nigerian manufacturers and startups involved in malaria-related health technologies.
A strategic investment in Nigeria’s future
Local manufacturing represents more than a health intervention; it is a development strategy that offers Nigeria a pathway from dependency to self-reliance, from vulnerability to resilience. Nigeria has the market demand, growing technical capacity, and motivation to succeed. With sustained political will and support, we will eradicate malaria!
By 2035, Nigerian families like Amina’s should never again find empty shelves where life-saving medicines should be. This vision is not just achievable; it is essential for Nigeria’s health security and economic future.
