Nigeria Begins Local Production Of Dual-Active Mosquito Nets

Nigeria has started local production of dual-active insecticide-treated mosquito nets, a move health authorities say will strengthen malaria prevention and reduce reliance on imported health products.

The new facility, Health Textiles Nigeria FZE, is described by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare as the first in the country to manufacture dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated nets. It will produce PermaNet Dual, a Vestergaard net designed for areas where mosquitoes have developed resistance to older insecticides.

The ministry said the facility is expected to produce about 10 million nets a year when it reaches full scale. It also expects the project to create more than 600 jobs, with about 80 employees already recruited and undergoing training in production, product quality, safety and regulatory compliance.

The facility follows a 2024 memorandum of understanding between Vestergaard and the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, which is aimed at expanding local production of essential health products.

Health Minister Muhammad Pate said the start of production would help Nigeria build a stronger supply chain for malaria prevention tools. The ministry said the first commercial orders are expected in the coming months.

Premium Times reported that the World Health Organisation estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 malaria deaths globally in 2024, with Africa accounting for about 95 per cent of cases and deaths. It said Nigeria accounted for 31.9 per cent of malaria deaths in the African Region.

Sources: Punch, Premium Times