Nigeria has begun local production of next-generation dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated mosquito nets to boost malaria prevention and strengthen domestic manufacturing.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare announced this in a statement on its official X handle on Thursday night, obtained by reporters.
According to the statement, the facility, Health Textiles Nigeria FZE, wholly owned by Vestergaard Sàrl, is Nigeria’s first to manufacture dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated nets.
The facility will produce PermaNet® Dual, a mosquito net designed to address the growing challenge of insecticide resistance and prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2023.
At full capacity, the facility is expected to produce about 10 million nets annually and create over 600 jobs, the statement said.
It also noted that around 80 employees had already been recruited and were undergoing training in manufacturing excellence, product quality, occupational health and safety, and regulatory compliance.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, said the development aligned with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Pate explained that the initiative focuses on unlocking the healthcare value chain through investment, local production, and enhanced domestic capacity.
“This investment demonstrates what is possible when government policy, private-sector investment, and technology transfer come together to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“The start of local production also boosts our capacity to produce essential health products and supports a more resilient health system,” Pate added.
He praised Vestergaard for investing in local manufacturing, describing this as a significant step in malaria prevention.
The statement noted that the establishment of Health Textiles Nigeria followed a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding between Vestergaard and the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC).
The agreement aims to enhance local production capacity for essential health products, the statement said.
PVAC’s National Coordinator, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, said the development demonstrated how investment, technology transfer, and government policy could lead to productive capacity and skills development.
He added that training Nigerian professionals and starting production reflected the outcomes the initiative seeks to replicate across other healthcare segments.
Vestergaard CEO Amar Ali expressed satisfaction with starting production in Nigeria and appreciated the Federal Government’s support.
He stated that the facility combines Vestergaard’s manufacturing expertise with Nigerian talent to produce dual-active insecticide-treated nets locally.
This development comes as Nigeria continues to bear a significant share of the global malaria burden, the statement said.
WHO estimates that malaria caused 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths worldwide in 2024.
The African region accounted for the majority of global malaria cases and deaths during this period.
The statement also noted that Health Textiles Nigeria is expected to fulfill its first commercial orders in the coming months, increasing Nigeria’s capacity to produce malaria prevention commodities locally.
It emphasized that domestic production must be supported by strong quality assurance, regulatory oversight, and safety standards.
The federal government pledged to continue supporting strategic investments, technology transfer, and skills development to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare value chain.
