The Nigeria government has taken a major legislative step toward restructuring its national response to malaria, following the passage of the National Agency for Malaria Elimination Bill by the Senate, a development lawmakers say could redefine the country’s long-standing fight against the disease.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko, scaled Third Reading in the Senate on Wednesday after extensive consideration, marking what legislators described as a shift from routine malaria treatment to a coordinated, long-term elimination framework.
Nwoko, who represents Delta North Senatorial District, said the passage of the bill represents a “critical turning point” in Nigeria’s public health strategy, expressing optimism that the country now has a structured pathway to ending one of its deadliest and most persistent diseases.
According to him, the proposed legislation—titled A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Agency for Malaria Elimination and for Related Matters, 2025 (SB.172)—is designed to create a dedicated national institution responsible for coordinating malaria prevention, surveillance, environmental management, research, and nationwide elimination programmes.
He said the Senate’s approval reflects growing recognition that Nigeria must move beyond fragmented interventions and adopt a unified, data-driven national strategy.
Speaking after the passage of the bill, Nwoko said malaria remains a major public health burden, particularly among vulnerable populations, despite being both preventable and treatable.
“Malaria has been eliminated in several countries around the world. It is achievable. Nigeria can end malaria, and Africa can end malaria. What is needed is focus, coordination and political will,” he said.
The Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), which screened the bill, reported broad stakeholder support during public hearings attended by health experts, development partners, civil society organisations, and government agencies.
The committee noted that stakeholders strongly advocated for a dedicated institution focused exclusively on malaria elimination, arguing that Nigeria’s current approach—largely centred on treatment and control—was insufficient to achieve long-term success.
Lawmakers also adopted the term “elimination” rather than “eradication,” aligning the bill with global public health standards and best practices.
Under the proposed framework, the new agency would establish zonal and state offices, coordinate malaria control efforts across all tiers of government, and develop a national strategic plan for sustained interventions.
Nwoko further emphasised that environmental sanitation, waste management reforms, fumigation programmes, and scientific innovation would play a central role in reducing mosquito breeding and lowering infection rates nationwide.
“There is no amount of money spent to save lives that is too much. Families are still losing loved ones to malaria every day. We cannot continue to treat this as normal,” he said.
With Senate approval secured, the bill now proceeds to the House of Representatives for concurrence before transmission to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent.
If eventually signed into law, the National Agency for Malaria Elimination is expected to become one of Nigeria’s most significant public health institutions, strengthening coordination of malaria control efforts and potentially positioning the country as a continental leader in malaria reduction.
For Nwoko, the objective remains unchanged: “This is a fight we can win. Nigeria can end malaria, and we must be determined to do so.”
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