Nigeria has continued to bear a significant share of the global malaria burden, accounting for 24.3 per cent of reported cases worldwide. Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, records a decline in prevalence from 18.8 per cent to 7.9 per cent.

This was revealed in Abuja during activities marking World Malaria Day 2026.

Malaria is also responsible for about 30 per cent of child deaths and 11 per cent of maternal deaths annually in Nigeria, underscoring the scale of the challenge, Aniefiok Akpasa said.

The meeting organised by Famkris Healthcare Initiative, in collaboration with the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, aim at strengthening malaria elimination awareness in the Federal Capital Territory.

According to the Clinical Manager with Famkris Healthcare Initiative, Aniefiok Akpasa, who cited the 2025 World Malaria Report, an estimated 282 million malaria cases were recorded globally in 2024 across 80 endemic countries, with Nigeria contributing the highest share.

He said malaria remains a major cause of mortality, with about 610,000 deaths recorded globally in 2024, adding that Nigeria accounts for 30.3 per cent of these deaths and 38.6 per cent of global malaria deaths among children under five.

The FCT Malaria Elimination Programme Manager, Hajia Zainab Ibrahim, said the improvement reflected sustained interventions, but warned that the gains remain fragile.

According to Ibrahim, the current level places the FCT close to the pre-elimination threshold of five percent but stressed that sustained efforts are required to reach that stage.

Experts were of the opinion that fighting the scourge of Malaria requires collaborative approach from all Stakeholders.