ABUJA — The share of children aged six months to five years infected with malaria in Nigeria fell from 22 per cent in 2021 to 15.2 per cent in 2025, according to the 2025 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey.

The survey and the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2026–2030 were launched in Abuja on Thursday. Speaking through the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, the Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, welcomed the progress but warned that the disease has not been eliminated. The new plan aims to halve malaria prevalence and deaths by 2030.

Kebbi State recorded one of the largest falls, from 49 per cent to 18 per cent. In households with treated nets, 72.3 per cent of children and 80.6 per cent of pregnant women slept under one. The national coordinator of the malaria programme, Dr Nnenna Ogbulafor, called for more domestic funding.