The Lagos State Government today hosted the Mid-Term Review of the Pathway to Malaria Pre-Elimination in Lagos State, reaffirming its commitment to drive malaria prevalence below one percent and set the state on the path to full elimination. The event, held at the Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, brought together national and international stakeholders to review progress on the Impact Project and digitalization programme introduced in March 2025.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in his keynote address, declared that Lagos had reached a decisive phase in its ambition to shift from high malaria burden to pre-elimination status, stressing the importance of accountability, data transparency, and community ownership in the ongoing campaign.
When we kicked off this initiative on March 4, we had a clear vision: to transform hope into measurable results and shift Lagos from a high-burden malaria zone to one on the brink of elimination. Today’s review is more than a formality, it is a critical checkpoint in our journey to a malaria-free Lagos.”, Governor Sanwo-Olu said
The Governor highlighted the significance of the digital reporting system now operational in public and private health facilities, which has bridged information gaps and improved diagnostic accuracy. He said the innovation was not only strengthening surveillance but also integrating community pharmacies and patent medicine vendors into the state’s malaria control efforts.
“Every Lagosian must have access to rapid testing and the right treatment, when and where necessary,” Sanwo-Olu said, noting that scaling up interventions would not be allowed to compromise quality. He added that continuous training, supervision, and alignment with the ILERA EKO health insurance platform were central to sustaining progress.
Sanwo-Olu further called on residents to take ownership of malaria prevention by eliminating mosquito breeding sites, testing before treatment, and trusting the health system. He maintained that community participation, alongside government and private sector collaboration, would ensure that malaria ceases to be a major public health problem in Lagos.
The Governor also acknowledged support from development partners including the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, and the National Malaria Elimination Programme. He stressed that Lagos must remain a “shining example” of effective malaria control in Nigeria and West Africa.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, praised Lagos State for pioneering malaria pre-elimination strategies that are already yielding tangible results. He described the digital integration of community pharmacies and medicine vendors into malaria service delivery as a “game-changer” in bridging gaps in Nigeria’s primary healthcare ecosystem.
Pate said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, through the National Malaria Elimination Programme, stood firmly behind Lagos in its drive, and reaffirmed that lessons from the state would inform national strategy. He thanked global partners and technical stakeholders for their contribution in ensuring that malaria service delivery is data-driven, regulated, and responsive.
He particularly lauded the deployment of technology to enhance real-time reporting and analysis, which he said was vital to identifying service delivery gaps, tracking progress, and informing policy adjustments in Nigeria’s broader malaria elimination campaign.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, provided a detailed scientific account of the state’s malaria data trajectory, revealing that Lagos is now firmly in the pre-elimination phase with prevalence around one percent. He explained that only about 5.6 percent of fever cases tested in informal healthcare outlets turned out to be malaria, a dramatic decline from historic figures.
Abayomi noted that this new reality meant that most fevers in Lagos were now “malaria-negative fevers,” requiring accurate diagnosis and alternative treatments. He stressed that adherence to the “test-before-treatment” protocol was essential to prevent misdiagnosis, drug misuse, and delayed recovery among patients.
The Commissioner added that Lagos was now adopting policies to expand diagnostic capacity, strengthen environmental health interventions, and intensify public awareness campaigns. He emphasized that the next phase would demand a higher level of sophistication, surveillance, and behavioral change to move from pre-elimination to full elimination.
He warned that continued reliance on presumptive treatment of fever as malaria posed risks, reiterating that Lagos must embrace a new culture of evidence-based diagnosis and case management. Abayomi also projected that with sustained political will and community cooperation, Lagos could transition into a malaria-free state within a few years.
WHO Team Lead for Health Promotion, Disease Prevention, and Control, Dr. Maya Ngon, described Lagos as a model of strong leadership, innovation, and partnership in malaria control. She said the integration of private providers into a digital surveillance system was a major step forward in strengthening Nigeria’s health system.
Dr. Ngon assured that WHO would continue to provide technical guidance, global best practices, and strategic options tailored to Lagos, urging stakeholders to convert innovations into measurable outcomes that save lives. She reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to work with Lagos “until the vision of malaria elimination is achieved.”
Dr. Onoriode Ezire, Senior Health Specialist with the World Bank, in his presentation, highlighted that Lagos has made remarkable progress in reducing malaria prevalence, moving from about 15 percent in 2010 to just over 3 percent by 2022. He described Lagos as now being at the “pre-malaria elimination stage,” but warned that sustaining this progress would require a strong focus on intensified surveillance systems. According to him, “Every single case must be reported, investigated, and documented swiftly,” stressing the need for zero reporting, where health facilities provide updates even when no cases are detected, to ensure no data gaps.
Dr. Ezire further outlined strategies for the state’s malaria response beyond 2026, emphasizing data-driven interventions and vector control measures targeted at hotspots. He recommended scaling up new tools such as malaria vaccines, strengthening diagnostic services, and introducing proactive case detection methods in high-risk communities. He noted that Lagos could leverage the ongoing World Bank-supported IMPACT Project, which is expected to run until December 2026, to build capacity, strengthen surveillance systems, and advocate for stronger political and financial commitments towards malaria elimination.
Pharm. Ibrahim Yakasi, Chairman of Maisha Meds Nigeria, described the achievements in Lagos as “remarkable” and commended the state for its resilience and leadership in the fight against malaria. He stressed that the reduction in malaria burden was not just the work of government alone but also the collective effort of communities, healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and doctors. According to him, Maisha Meds’ commitment to technology-driven innovations, including digital tools and machine-enabled interventions, has been critical to strengthening malaria control and positioning Lagos on the path to elimination.
Yakasi reaffirmed Maisha Meds’ support for Lagos State in achieving its malaria elimination goals, noting that sustained collaboration, innovation, and community engagement remain crucial. He also praised the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, for steering the malaria elimination agenda, assuring stakeholders that Maisha Meds would continue to provide technical and technological support. “Our prayer is for Lagos to remain the model for a malaria-free society in Nigeria and Africa,” he declared.
Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, noted that while progress has been made, challenges remain in balancing provider and patient behaviors in malaria case management. He explained that healthcare providers often face overwhelming patient volumes, making it difficult to strictly adhere to diagnostic protocols. He emphasized that healthcare workers must be adequately trained in the use of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) and microscopy, while also being provided with job aids and treatment algorithms that guide clinical decisions.
Dr. Ogboye also called for continuous public education to help patients understand why malaria drugs cannot be prescribed without proper testing. He proposed regular clinical audits and prescription reviews to strengthen accountability in malaria case management. He further noted that the high cost of diagnostic tests discourages patients from seeking proper care, suggesting that Lagos may need to fully subsidize malaria testing. “If we want to stop irrational use of malaria drugs, then testing must remain free or affordable,” he stated, warning that otherwise patients would simply seek drugs elsewhere.
The review ended with a renewed pledge by government officials, partners, and community stakeholders to translate the findings into actionable steps. Participants resolved to intensify surveillance, enforce adherence to testing protocols, and expand public health communication, setting the stage for Lagos to advance from malaria pre-elimination to eventual elimination.
