Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria has begun local production of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, with a new manufacturing facility expected to produce up to 10 million nets annually and help reduce the country’s reliance on imported malaria prevention commodities.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare announced the development on Thursday, identifying Health Textiles Nigeria FZE as the first facility in Nigeria to manufacture dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
The facility, owned by Vestergaard Sarl, will produce PermaNet® Dual, a mosquito net designed to address the growing challenge of insecticide resistance and prequalified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2023.
WHO estimates that 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths occurred globally in 2024, with the African Region accounting for about 95 per cent of cases and deaths.
Nigeria accounted for 31.9 per cent of malaria deaths in the African Region in 2024, according to WHO.
Insecticide-treated mosquito nets remain one of the key tools recommended by WHO for preventing mosquito bites and reducing malaria transmission.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said the investment aligns with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), particularly its focus on strengthening the healthcare value chain through local production, investment and domestic capacity.
“This investment demonstrates what is possible when government policy, private-sector investment and technology transfer come together to unlock Nigeria’s healthcare value chain,” Pate said.
He said local production would strengthen Nigeria’s ability to manufacture essential health products and contribute to a more resilient health system.
The ministry said about 80 employees had already been recruited and were undergoing training in manufacturing excellence, product quality, occupational health and safety, and regulatory compliance.
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