Nigeria Records 24 Million Malaria Cases in 9 Months, Sparks Global Concern on World Malaria Day
By Chizoba Njaka
On World Malaria Day 2026, experts from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health disclosed disturbing data, revealing that Nigeria recorded 24 million malaria cases in the first nine months of 2025, a figure that surpasses previous yearly totals and highlights the intensifying crisis in the country.
Speaking at a news conference organized by the institution, experts noted that Nigeria, alongside DR Congo, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Mozambique, accounts for nearly half of all global infections, emphasizing the disproportionate burden on sub-Saharan Africa.
The health leaders expressed concern over the disturbing resurgence of the disease, citing funding cuts, antimalarial drug resistance, and evolving mosquito threats as key factors contributing to the escalation, which risks undermining decades of progress. Prof. Jane Carlton, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and Director of the Malaria Research Institute, emphasized that malaria continues to be one of the world's most lethal infectious diseases, responsible for an estimated 280 million cases and 600,000 deaths globally each year.
Children under five are the most vulnerable, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where the heaviest burden persists. "Malaria is not just persisting—it is resurging in dangerous ways," one expert warned, citing growing resistance to drugs, declining effectiveness of insecticide-treated bed nets, and the spread of invasive mosquito species.
Despite the grim outlook, William Moss, Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology, International Health, and Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, pointed to positive developments. Nearly 50 countries have been declared malaria-free, and new vaccines like RTS,S and R21 have significantly reduced infections among children in pilot programs.
A major immunization push is underway, with plans to vaccinate 50 million children between 2026 and 2030 an initiative projected to save over 170,000 lives. The experts urged urgent and sustained action to reverse the trend, calling for increased funding, innovative interventions, and global collaboration.