As part of its drive to eradicate malaria in Nigeria, the Federal Government has enlisted the support of prominent business leaders. The government announced that Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group; Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings; and Femi Otedola, Chairman of Geregu Power Plc, will spearhead the national campaign against the disease.
Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, inaugurated the Nigeria End Malaria Council on Friday in Abuja. Alausa stated that these industry heavyweights would collaborate with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), National Assembly joint Health Committees, and women’s organizations to reduce, and potentially eliminate the disease in the country.
The minister emphasized the urgent need to address the disease’s prevalence in Nigeria, which led to the establishment of the council. According to him, the widespread impact of the disease makes it imperative to explore all available options to combat it.
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“The Nigeria End Malaria Council was established on August 16, 2017, by former President Muhammadu Buhari. Its primary objectives are to keep malaria high on national and state agendas and secure strong political commitment from leaders. It is also tasked with mobilizing resources, particularly from the private sector, to close resource gaps in the national malaria strategic plan,” Alausa said.
He noted that while the council had been unable to meet since 2022 due to the change in government and other operational challenges, its Secretariat remained functional. Alausa highlighted the grave impact of the disease on the country, stating that Nigeria contributes over a quarter of global malaria cases and about a third of the more than 600,000 deaths worldwide, with children and pregnant women being the most affected.
“Malaria is responsible for approximately 25 to 30 percent of childhood mortality and about 60 percent of hospital attendance in Nigeria. It is also a major cause of absenteeism in schools, markets, and workplaces, as well as a significant out-of-pocket expense for most households in the country,” he added.
Alausa recalled Nigeria’s involvement in the Ministerial Conference on Malaria in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where it joined 10 other high-burden countries in signing a declaration to scale up interventions against the disease. This was followed by the “Rethinking Malaria Elimination in Nigeria” roundtable, which brought together major stakeholders and global players to identify challenges and strategize on eliminating the disease.
He acknowledged that while current interventions such as antimalarial medicines and protective measures like treated nets and insecticides are essential, they are insufficient. Much of the support for these interventions comes from donors, which is neither adequate nor sustainable. Alausa referenced the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), launched in 2009, and the Malaria Scorecard developed in 2011 to monitor the country’s performance, noting that no country has ever eliminated malaria through donor support alone.
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The minister officially handed over the leadership of the Council to Dangote, who has served as Nigeria’s Malaria Ambassador and is also a member of the Global End Malaria Council. He expressed confidence in the newly inaugurated Council, stating that its major objective is to contribute to a reduction in the disease burden and possibly eliminate the disease in Nigeria.
“By reason of your positions in Nigeria, your passion towards health issues, especially malaria, and the interest groups you represent, your membership in this Council is inevitable for the benefit of the larger society,” Alausa said.
The Nigeria End Malaria Council Secretariat, led by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Ope Abegunde, was also handed over to the Council, signaling the government’s commitment to making the disease history in Nigeria.
At the inaugural meeting of the Council, Dangote urged members to tackle malaria head-on. He acknowledged their collective strength across government, civil society, religion, and business, emphasizing their unique ability to mobilize resources for the national malaria program. He also outlined the Council’s primary objectives of ensuring that the disease elimination remains high on Nigeria’s agenda, achievable only with strong political commitment from leaders at all levels and advocacy at both the national and state levels to secure sufficient funding.
Dangote called on the Council to protect the progress made so far, sustain it, and ensure that Nigeria is on an irreversible path to ending the disease for good. “I want to appreciate your acceptance to serve our beloved country in this capacity, and I am glad to join hands with you to reduce the burden and deaths due to malaria in Nigeria,” he said. The Council members will be responsible for mobilizing the necessary funds to ensure that the disease is eliminated from the country.
