Submission to IDC Nigeria development partnership inquiry: Malaria No More UK

Malaria No More UK response to International Development Committee inquiry on the UK’s development partnership with Nigeria

Contents

About Malaria No More UK……………………………………………………………….........…………1

Key points……………………………………………………………………….....……................……….1

Key actions………………………………………………………………………………………..........……..2

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………..........………2

What are the key development challenges facing the country and how can the UK best provide distinct support for a) the Nigerian Government and b) civil society in seeking to tackle them?.............................................................................................................3

What opportunities and challenges does the FCDO face as it seeks to support the localisation of development activities in Nigeria?.......................................................4

About Malaria No More UK 

Founded in 2009, Malaria No More UK is one of the leading UK organisations working to eradicate malaria worldwide. We work to unite policymakers, private sector actors and public audiences in this fight. We have offices in the UK and Kenya and work closely with African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) to help coordinate and drive global progress against malaria. 

Key points

• Nigeria has by far the highest malaria burden of any country and accounts for a disproportionate percentage of global malaria cases and deaths.
• Malaria imposes a significant economic burden on endemic countries, inhibiting education, productivity and trade.
• The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) is the largest and most prominent source of international malaria funding.
• Recent cuts and pauses to health Official Development Assistance have disproportionately affected malaria services and the availability of malaria products and medicines.
• Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) secure a pipeline of innovative and cost-effective tools for malaria control and support in-country manufacturing capabilities for malaria products in Nigeria and other endemic countries.

Key actions

1. Ensure that the Global Fund receives the necessary funding during the forthcoming replenishment cycle. In doing so, the UK will support the largest and most prominent source of international malaria funding.
2. Provide comprehensive funding for PDPs. Investing in PDPs cultivates a pipeline of innovative and cost-effective malaria products and supports Nigeria’s in-country manufacturing capabilities.

Introduction

Despite the enormous progress made over the last two decades, malaria remains one of the world’s deadliest diseases. It is estimated that, globally, malaria killed 548,000 people in 2023, and a combination of environmental and geopolitical factors pose a significant risk of malaria resurgence in the coming years. Alongside the devastating humanitarian consequences, this would amplify the already substantial socioeconomic burdens imposed by malaria in endemic countries.

Addressing the risk of resurgence is particularly urgent for Nigeria, which has by far the highest malaria burden of any single country. This submission will focus on how the UK can best support Nigeria’s development goals by investing in the fight against malaria. Specifically, we will focus on the essential role of multilateral funds such as the Global Fund and the need to encourage a pipeline of innovative and cost-effective tools for malaria prevention and treatment by investing in PDPs.

What are the key development challenges facing the country and how can the UK best provide distinct support for a) the Nigerian Government and b) civil society in seeking to tackle them?

Nigeria has, by a significant margin, the highest malaria burden of any country. According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) estimates, 100% of Nigeria’s population is at risk of malaria. In 2023, the estimated number of malaria cases globally was 263 million. An estimated 94% of these were in the WHO African Region, with Nigeria accounting for 25.9% within this group. Of the estimated 548,000 global malaria death in 2023, Nigeria account for 30.9%. Nigeria also accounted for 39.3% of the estimated global malaria deaths of children under the age of 5.[i]

Alongside the devastating humanitarian cost, malaria represents a significant socioeconomic burden in Nigeria. Children who contract malaria miss out on educational opportunities, which in turn affects their economic opportunities in later life, and the parents of children who have malaria must take time away from work to look after them. Moreover, out-of-pocket expenses remain a significant issue, which disproportionately affects the poorest families.[ii]

Economic modelling has found that a 10% reduction in malaria incidences is associated with an average 0.3% increase in income per capita and a 0.11 percentage point faster per capita growth per annum.[iii] It has been estimated that progressing toward the goals set out in the United Nations 2016-2030 malaria strategy, a 90% reduction in incidence and mortality rates, would have resulted in a GDP gain of approximately 0.35% in Nigeria over that period.[iv]

The mortality rate of malaria has halved over the last two decades,[v] but the world is facing a perfect storm of resurgence due to climate change, funding shortfalls, rising drug and insecticide resistance and conflict. The consequences of resurgence would be devastating and pose a particular risk to Nigeria.

Supporting Nigeria in the fight against malaria would promote productivity and economic growth, thereby opening further opportunities for economic partnership between the UK and Nigeria. The most effective way for the UK to do this is through investment in key multilateral funds that have for decades been at the forefront of the fight.

Malaria No More UK welcomed the UK Government’s recent pledge of £1.25 billion to the 2026-2030 of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), who last year procured 846,200 doses of the R21 malaria vaccine to support Nigeria’s first ever vaccination rollout for malaria.[vi] But these vaccines need to be coordinated with complementary programs of malaria control and elimination such as bed nets and preventive chemotherapy.[vii]

The Global Fund is the largest and most prominent source of international malaria funding.[viii] In 2023 it accounted for 62% of all international financing for malaria, and between 2002-2023 it provided $1.6B of malaria investment in Nigeria.[ix] Moreover, the Global Fund’s approach is underpinned by sustained engagement with communities affected by malaria, which is particularly important within a climate of heightened change and uncertainty.

To secure continued progress in the fight against malaria in Nigeria, and to maximise the impact of the UK’s investment in Gavi, it is essential that the UK makes a significant contribution to the Global Fund’s eighth replenishment later this year.

What opportunities and challenges does the FCDO face as it seeks to support the localisation of development activities in Nigeria?

Recent funding shortfalls pose a major challenge to the fight against malaria. Between 07/03/2025—02/04/2025, WHO conducted a rapid office stock take to assess the impact of cuts and pauses to health Official Development Assistance. Malaria was identified as the second most adversely affected service, with over half of responding offices reporting either a severe (>50%) or moderate (10-49%) change in service volume. Malaria medicines and health products were also identified as the second most severely affected, with a third of offices reporting either a severe (>50%) or moderate (10-49%) change in stocks/availability.[x]

These disruptions underscore the need to support Nigeria in developing its in-country manufacturing capabilities for malaria products, which the Nigeria End Malaria Council has identified as a priority, and promote a pipeline of cost-effective tools for malaria prevention and treatment.

The FCDO can continue to promote both aims through investment in PDPs such as Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) and the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC). Since 2020 MMV has been working with two pharmaceutical manufacturers in Nigeria, Emzor and Swipha, to support the development of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), a medication for preventing malaria in pregnant women. Last year Swipha became the first Nigeria manufacturer to receive WHO prequalification for SP.[xi] Similarly, through its New Routes to Market Initiative, IVCC is supporting the Nigerian Government to develop business cases to attract private investment for indoor residual spraying.[xii]

The UK should continue to invest in PDPs to support Nigeria’s in-country manufacturing capabilities and help secure the next generation of innovative tools for malaria prevention and treatment.

Recommendations 

The UK can support the Nigeria’s health security and economic growth by:

1. Ensure that the Global Fund receives the necessary funding during the forthcoming replenishment cycle. In doing so, the UK will support the largest and most prominent source of international malaria funding. It would also support the UK’s life sciences sector and strengthen our own health security.
2. Provide comprehensive funding for PDPs. Investing in PDPs cultivates a pipeline of innovative and cost-effective malaria products and supports Nigeria’s in-country manufacturing capabilities.

More information 

For further information, please contact Harvey.langley@malarianomore.org.uk.  

Witnesses 

The following people would be happy to give oral evidence. 

• Ope Abegunde. Executive Secretary, Nigeria End Malaria Council

We work with a range of partners and so would be happy to also connect you with other experts in the malaria field, including research scientists, community care providers, MNMUK Board members and a wide range of academics.