The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through its Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, has disclosed that Nigeria accounts for 27 percent of global malaria prevalence, while the FCT contributes 5 percent of the national prevalence.
These revelations were made on Tuesday in Abuja during the flag-off ceremony for the unbundling and distribution of malaria drugs and free test kits.
While briefing the press after the event, the FCT Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, emphasised that malaria remains a leading cause of death among children under five and women.
She stated: “Only one thing causes malaria, which is mosquitoes. If we can eliminate mosquitoes, we can eliminate malaria. However, the network of roads provided by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has ensured access to communities during emergencies.
“Today, we have taken decisive and deliberate action to fight malaria. Malaria remains a leading cause of death among children under five and women.
“Nigeria is responsible for 27 percent of global malaria prevalence—the highest figure in the world. A survey carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2024 revealed that 1.4 million people in the FCT suffer from malaria. Given the FCT population of between 5 to 6 million, this represents 5 percent of the national malaria prevalence.”
Dr Fasawe further noted that Minister Wike paid the counterpart funding for the FCT last year, which enabled the territory to participate in the programme this year. She highlighted that the fight against malaria is a fight for life, pointing out that every single minute, a child dies of malaria in Nigeria. “We want to eradicate malaria in the FCT and Nigeria as a whole,” she declared.
She explained that they are committed to completely eliminating malaria by providing free test kits and free treatment with medicines.
Additionally, she highlighted that a survey conducted in 2024 showed that 60 percent of children in the FCT presented clear cases of malaria.
Dr Fasawe assured that all public health facilities in the FCT have been supplied with free health kits and free drugs. She warned that any facility found selling these supplies would face sanctions. She also stated that insecticide-treated nets are available for distribution to pregnant women and nursing mothers.
She reiterated that malaria is a preventable cause of death and that effective treatment would significantly reduce malaria cases.
The programme is planned to last for two years, with procurement carried out as needed to keep drugs available throughout the year.
In his remarks, the acting Permanent Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Abubakar Ahmadi, said the programme would improve access to healthcare and reduce out-of-pocket expenses for the public. He urged healthcare practitioners to make judicious use of the kits and drugs.
Dr Maureen Ugochuku, the representative of Famkris Healthcare Initiative—one of the NGOs partnering with the FCT—emphasised that malaria remains Nigeria’s most pressing public health challenge. She noted that the economic toll of malaria is equally devastating, as households spend scarce resources on treatment and businesses suffer during malaria outbreaks.
The project is co-funded by the Islamic Development Bank.
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