Nigeria is increasingly using local data to determine where and how malaria interventions should be delivered, as the country moves away from a one-size-fits-all approach to malaria control.
New research by Nigeria Health Watch shows that subnational tailoring (SNT) is helping policymakers identify differences in malaria transmission and health system needs across states and local government areas.
The approach uses local evidence to guide decisions on malaria interventions and the allocation of limited resources.
Nigeria introduced SNT in 2019, building on the World Health Organisation’s High Burden to High Impact initiative.
The research says malaria does not affect all parts of Nigeria equally. Transmission and prevalence vary between states and communities, while factors such as poverty, conflict, climate and health system capacity also differ.
“Malaria does not affect every community in Nigeria in the same way,” said Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch.
“Our response cannot afford to treat it as though it does.”
She said local evidence helps identify where needs are greatest and determine which interventions are most appropriate.
From data to malaria action
A major step in Nigeria’s data-driven approach came in 2020, when the country launched the National Malaria Data Repository.
The platform brought together routine surveillance, household surveys, campaign monitoring and partner datasets.
According to the research, this improved access to data and strengthened the evidence available for malaria planning and decision-making.
The evidence has since informed several malaria interventions.
By 2023, seasonal malaria chemoprevention had expanded to 21 of Nigeria’s 36 states.
SNT evidence has also informed the distribution of insecticide-treated nets in southern Nigeria, targeted indoor residual spraying in malaria hotspots and the rollout of the R21 malaria vaccine in selected states.
The research reports that Nigeria’s national malaria parasite prevalence fell from 27% in 2015 to 15% in 2025.
Data is also being used to influence malaria financing.
The research says subnational analysis, intervention mixes and costed operational plans have informed Global Fund grant negotiations and investment decisions by the US President’s Malaria Initiative.
Funding and data gaps remain
Despite the progress, the research identifies challenges that could limit the expansion and sustainability of subnational tailoring.
These include gaps in routine surveillance and private-sector data, uneven technical and analytical capacity, unreliable financing, fragmented supply chains and logistical problems.
The challenges come at a time when financing for malaria control is becoming increasingly constrained.
The research recommends that governments include SNT in annual health planning and budgeting.
It also calls for greater investment in domestic analytical capacity, improved data quality and stronger use of evidence to prioritise malaria interventions.
For donors, the research recommends aligning funding with SNT-informed priorities to reduce duplication and ensure that investments reflect the malaria burden, transmission levels and health system needs of individual states.
Nigeria Health Watch to discuss findings
Nigeria Health Watch will hold a virtual briefing on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, ahead of World Mosquito Day on 20 August.
The briefing will bring together journalists, researchers and other stakeholders to discuss the findings and examine what is needed to sustain a more targeted and evidence-driven malaria response. The session is scheduled for 2:00pm to 3:00pm WAT.
The research was conducted between 2025 and 2026 by Nigeria Health Watch in collaboration with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Applied Health Analytics for Delivery and Innovation. Northwestern University also contributed to the research.
For West African Journalists for Environment, Science, Health & Agriculture (WAJESHA), the findings highlight an important lesson for malaria-endemic countries of using local evidence can help health authorities identify differences in need and make more targeted decisions when resources are limited.
FULL statement here Press Release_SNT Virtual Briefing Nigeria Health Watch
