Nigeria has taken a major leap in the fight against malaria as the country commences local production of next-generation insecticide-treated mosquito nets designed to tackle the growing threat of insecticide resistance.
The development means Nigeria will no longer have to rely solely on imported mosquito nets for one of its most critical malaria-prevention interventions, as a new manufacturing facility begins producing dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated nets locally.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the development was a major boost to the Federal Government’s drive to unlock Nigeria’s healthcare value chain through local manufacturing, investment and technology transfer.
The new facility, Health Textiles Nigeria FZE, wholly owned by Vestergaard Sàrl, is the first facility in Nigeria to manufacture dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
It will produce PermaNet® Dual, Vestergaard’s mosquito net developed to address the growing challenge of insecticide resistance and prequalified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2023.
10 Million Nets, 600 Jobs In Sight
At full production capacity, the facility is expected to manufacture approximately 10 million mosquito nets annually and create more than 600 jobs.
The company has already recruited about 80 Nigerian workers, who are undergoing training in manufacturing excellence, product quality, occupational health and safety, and regulatory compliance.
Pate said the investment demonstrated the power of collaboration between government and the private sector in strengthening Nigeria’s health system.
“This investment demonstrates what is possible when government policy, private-sector investment and technology transfer come together to unlock Nigeria’s healthcare value chain,” the minister said.
He added that local production would strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to manufacture essential health commodities while supporting a more resilient healthcare system.
“The commencement of local production also strengthens our capacity to produce essential health products and supports a more resilient health system,” Pate stated.
The establishment of Health Textiles Nigeria followed a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding between Vestergaard and the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), aimed at expanding local production capacity for essential health products.
Nigeria Takes Aim At Malaria Burden
The National Coordinator of PVAC, Dr Abdu Mukhtar, said the commencement of production demonstrated how government policy, investment and technology transfer could translate into productive capacity and skills development.
Mukhtar said the training of Nigerian professionals and commencement of manufacturing were precisely the kind of outcomes the initiative sought to replicate across other segments of the healthcare value chain.
Vestergaard’s Chief Executive Officer, Amar Ali, said the company was pleased to commence production in Nigeria and expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for its support.
Ali said the new facility would combine Vestergaard’s manufacturing expertise with Nigerian talent to produce dual-active insecticide-treated nets locally.
The development comes as Nigeria continues to carry a substantial share of the global malaria burden.
According to the World Health Organisation, malaria caused an estimated 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024, with the WHO African Region accounting for the overwhelming majority of the disease burden.
With production now underway, Health Textiles Nigeria is expected to fulfil its first commercial orders in the coming months, potentially giving Nigeria greater control over the supply of a critical malaria-prevention commodity.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said local manufacturing must, however, go hand in hand with stringent quality assurance, regulatory oversight and safety standards.
The ministry reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting strategic investments, technology transfer and skills development capable of strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare value chain under the Renewed Hope Health Agenda.
