As Nigeria marked World Malaria Day 2025 with the theme “Reinvest, Reimagine, and Reignite so that Malaria Ends with Us,” many citizens say the disease remains a constant threat, despite years of government and donor-led intervention. From herbal concoctions to health insurance schemes, this piece explores the choices Nigerians make and the obstacles they face in protecting themselves.
The 2025 World Malaria Day theme urges countries to “Reinvest, Reimagine, and Reignite” efforts to end malaria. But in Nigeria, where malaria remains a constant health threat, many are still finding their own paths through a complicated mix of poverty, limited access to care, and traditional beliefs.
For Suliat Olawale, a mother of two in Ogun, her outlook shifted after she started taking better care of her home environment. “Anytime I have malaria, I go to my HMO and they give me drugs and it works. But I keep having it,” she says.
“I was later told to take good care of my environment and always make sure I keep mosquitoes out of my room. Since I have been staying in a place where I hardly see mosquitoes, especially in my room, it has been long I had malaria.”
Others aren’t so fortunate. Emeka Eke, a 29-year-old phone accessories seller in Lagos, said malaria remains a regular part of his life.
“Sometimes, I treat malaria more than four times in a year. I don’t know if it is my body or the drugs I have been taking that are fake. It seems like malaria drugs are made for someone to have malaria again. I don’t even understand,” Eke says.
Alternative treatments
For others like Idowu Iyiola, a 34-year-old carpenter, the hospital isn’t an option. “They told me to run tests and kept sending me back and forth. I got tired. I can’t afford it, so I use agbo, (herbal concoction)” Iyiola tells Guardian Life. “I don’t believe in malaria drugs. Once I take agbo for a few days, I am all right. Then I start going to work again.”
But health experts warn that reliance on herbal concoctions like agbo — made from roots, leaves and barks soaked in water or alcohol — comes at a cost. While agbo may offer temporary relief, the long-term effects are often devastating.
“A lot of people who consume this concoction later have kidney issues in life,” Dr Olusina Ajidahun, Nigerian Regional Director at Hope for Us Charity, USA, warns. “This drink has the potential to damage the liver and many organs. It has slowly found its way to a prominent cause of kidney damage in Nigerians.”
Ajidahun notes that excessive use of agbo has been linked to serious kidney and liver complications, with transplants costing upwards of ₦10 million.
Nalaria persists
Meanwhile, Nigeria continues to hold the world’s highest malaria burden. According to the World Health Organisation’s 2024 Malaria Report, Nigeria accounted for 40% of all global malaria cases and 46% of malaria deaths across the top ten high-burden countries.
“Today, malaria claims an estimated 1 life every minute, with most deaths occurring in the WHO African Region,” WHO says.
Speaking to Guardian Life, Pharmacist Jonah Okotie, the Managing Director of Engraced Pharmacy, attributed the persistent burden to poverty, ignorance, and lack of access to care.
“People still believe malaria comes from sun exposure, not from a mosquito bite,” Okotie says. “The average cost for testing and treatment of malaria is not less than ₦3,000 to ₦4,000 per person. Some people can’t afford that. They would rather ask for drugs worth ₦200 or ₦500, and that’s all they have to spend.”
He confirmed that some even request drugs, which have been banned as single-line treatments.
Okotie also stressed the role of poverty in malaria persistence. “Healthcare is not cheap. Prevention through nets and proper medication requires money. This is why health insurance schemes like NHIS and Ilèra Eko are meant to help, but many Nigerians don’t even know how to access them.”
As the 2030 global target to end malaria draws closer, Nigeria’s slow progress raises concerns. Meanwhile, countries like Cape Verde, Algeria, Morocco, and Seychelles have already achieved malaria-free status.
Health experts say that unless Nigeria scales up access to prevention and treatment and addresses poverty-related barriers, the country risks remaining the epicentre of a disease the world is already moving past.
Ways to protect yourself and your family from malaria
- Sleep under a treated mosquito net.
- Clear stagnant water around your home to prevent mosquito breeding.
- Spray your room and use mosquito repellents for added protection.
- Get tested and complete your malaria treatment. Don’t stop halfway.
- Vaccinate your children against malaria. The new malaria vaccine is effective for kids under five.
