Malaria Fight: FG Backs Local Production of 10m Next-Gen Mosquito Nets Annually
By Pan Afric Reporters
The Federal Government has thrown its weight behind the local production of next-generation insecticide-treated mosquito nets, with a new manufacturing facility projected to produce about 10 million nets annually and create more than 600 jobs when operating at full capacity.
The development was disclosed in a statement by the Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ado Bako, on September 10, 2026.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, described the commencement of operations by Health Textiles Nigeria FZE as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s fight against malaria and efforts to strengthen domestic production of essential health commodities.
Pate said the production of dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated nets would strengthen Nigeria’s health security while reducing vulnerabilities associated with dependence on external sources for critical health products.
“The commencement of local production of next-generation insecticide-treated nets is an important milestone for Nigeria’s health system and our fight against malaria,” Pate said.
He added that the initiative reflected the Federal Government’s broader commitment to building domestic manufacturing capacity while creating employment and strengthening the healthcare value chain.
According to the Minister, the combination of global expertise, Nigerian talent and local production would contribute to a more resilient healthcare system and position Nigeria as a competitive manufacturing hub for Africa.
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 strengthening local production capacity for essential health products.
The National Coordinator of PVAC, Dr Abdu Mukhtar, said the commencement of production demonstrated the importance of aligning investment, technology transfer and government policy to develop sustainable manufacturing capacity in Nigeria.
Mukhtar stressed that the partnership was not simply about attracting investment but about translating collaboration into productive capacity, skills development and manufacturing capability.
He said the training of Nigerian professionals and commencement of production could provide a model for similar interventions across other segments of the healthcare value chain.
The Chief Executive Officer of Vestergaard, Amar Ali, commended the Nigerian Government for its support, describing the commencement of operations as a “new chapter in malaria prevention manufacturing in Africa.”
Ali said the facility would combine Nigerian talent with Vestergaard’s manufacturing expertise and innovative malaria prevention technologies to deliver products that meet global standards of quality, compliance and performance.
Health Textiles Nigeria FZE, wholly owned by Vestergaard Sàrl, is the first facility in Nigeria to manufacture dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
The facility will manufacture PermaNet® Dual, an advanced mosquito net designed to address the growing challenge of insecticide resistance and prequalified by the World Health Organization in 2023.
The company has already recruited about 80 employees, with ongoing training in manufacturing excellence, product quality, occupational health and safety, and regulatory compliance.
The local manufacturing initiative comes amid a continuing heavy malaria burden in Nigeria and across Africa. According to WHO estimates cited by the Ministry, malaria caused approximately 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024, with the African Region accounting for the greatest share of the burden.
Nigeria alone accounts for about a quarter of global malaria cases, making the expansion of locally available prevention commodities particularly significant to the country’s public health response.
With production now underway, Health Textiles Nigeria is expected to fulfil its first commercial orders in the coming months.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said local manufacturing remains central to the Federal Government’s efforts to build a resilient health system, strengthen supply security for essential commodities and create economic opportunities within the health sector.
The Ministry further emphasised the need to maintain stringent quality, regulatory and safety standards as domestic production expands, stressing that locally manufactured health products must meet internationally recognised standards.
The Federal Government, it said, would continue to support strategic partnerships and investments that promote local production, technology transfer, skills development and improved access to essential health products in line with the Renewed Hope Health Agenda.
