African leaders have warned that malaria could surge across the continent unless urgent and sustained financing is secured, as a new continental report shows progress against the disease has stalled and international funding continues to decline.
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‎The warning followed the presentation of the Africa Malaria Progress Report 2025 at the 39th African Union Summit, where Heads of State and Government said Africa risked losing decades of hard-won gains without immediate action to close widening funding gaps.
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‎Presented by Botswana’s President Duma Gideon Boko, Chair of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), the report shows that African Union Member States recorded 270.8 million malaria cases and 594,119 deaths in 2024, accounting for 96 per cent of global cases and 97 per cent of deaths worldwide.
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Despite significant progress since 2000, the report notes that malaria incidence and mortality have plateaued since 2015, with only five member states on track to meet the 2025 target of reducing malaria incidence or deaths by 75 per cent under the AU Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030.
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“The perfect storm of converging crises threatening malaria elimination has intensified,” Boko said, adding that Official Development Assistance for health in Africa had declined by 70 per cent in four years, while the Eighth Replenishment of the Global Fund mobilised about $12.9 billion — significantly short of its $18 billion target.
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The report warns that a 30 per cent reduction in malaria funding could trigger a major resurgence, resulting in 146 million additional cases and 397,000 preventable deaths by 2030, three-quarters of them among children under five. Economic losses were projected at $37 billion in GDP. Without urgent intervention, annual malaria cases could exceed 400 million, with deaths rising beyond one million each year.
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‎Against this backdrop, African leaders reaffirmed their commitment to domestic resource mobilisation, innovative financing, and stronger national health financing sustainability plans.
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According to the report, End Malaria Councils and Funds established in 12 countries have mobilised more than $200 million through public-private partnerships.
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Leaders also called on international partners to honour existing commitments and urged the renewal of the World Bank Malaria Booster Programme, which previously committed over $1 billion between 2005 and 2010 and helped accelerate malaria control across the continent.
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‎‎Nigeria was cited for advancing partnerships to locally manufacture antimalarial medicines, rapid diagnostic tests and next-generation mosquito nets.
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In a joint call to action, African leaders urged member states to treat malaria as a central pillar of health sovereignty and economic transformation, protect and increase domestic and external funding, and fully implement the priorities of the Catalytic Framework through a renewed Big Push Against Malaria.