Senate moves to establish malaria elimination agency

…as Nwoko insists Nigeria can be malaria-free

The Senate, on Tuesday, took a decisive step toward reshaping Nigeria’s fight against malaria, passing for third reading a bill seeking the establishment of the National Agency for Malaria Elimination, a dedicated body expected to coordinate nationwide efforts aimed at controlling and ultimately eradicating the disease.

The passage followed the consideration and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), chaired by Senator Ipalibo Banigo, which recommended the creation of a specialised institution to drive a long-term, structured response to malaria.

Presenting the Committee’s position, Banigo explained that the proposed agency would fundamentally change Nigeria’s approach to malaria management.

She said, “The agency, when established, will help shift the country’s approach from curative to preventive or elimination.”

She added that the success of the initiative would depend on a coordinated national structure, stressing that “for nationwide operation of the proposed agency, zonal and state offices shall be established, and its activities will be driven by a strategic plan backed by law, science and accountability.”

Lawmakers, who supported the bill, described it as a long-overdue intervention in a country that continues to bear one of the highest malaria burdens globally.

Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the legislation as a landmark moment in Nigeria’s public health journey.

Akpabio said, “This is a very important step in our collective effort against malaria, which remains the most common ailment affecting our people. If properly implemented, this agency will change the trajectory of public health in Nigeria.”

He added that the Senate was committed to ensuring that legislative backing translates into practical impact.

“We are not just passing laws for the sake of it. We want to see results that Nigerians can feel in their daily lives,” he said.

The sponsor of the bill, Senator Ned Nwoko representing Delta North, expressed strong confidence that Nigeria could eliminate malaria, insisting that the vision behind the legislation was both realistic and achievable.

Nwoko said, “Elimination of malaria in Nigeria is practicable and achievable. This is not a dream; it is something that can be done with the right structure in place.”

He explained that the idea for the bill was informed by extensive research and global health exploration.

“In the course of my research on malaria elimination, I went to Antarctica with some of my legislative aides, and that experience reinforced my conviction that no environment is too difficult for scientific solutions,” he said.

According to him, the proposed agency would serve as the central coordinating hub for malaria control efforts across the country.

“The agency, when established, will ensure effective waste management, large-scale fumigation, and sustained research into vaccines and preventive measures.

“These are the pillars that will lead us to elimination,” Nwoko said.

He further argued that Nigeria’s current approach has remained overly focused on treatment rather than prevention, stressing the need for a structural shift.

“We have spent decades treating malaria. What we need now is to eliminate it.

“That requires a dedicated institution with the legal and scientific capacity to drive that mission,” he added.

Nwoko also maintained that Nigeria could become a continental leader in malaria eradication if the bill is fully implemented.

“If we do this properly, Nigeria can become the first malaria-free country in Africa. That is the goal, and it is within reach,” he said.

The bill’s passage marks one of the most ambitious health reform proposals in recent years, as lawmakers signal renewed interest in tackling malaria not just as a public health challenge, but as a national development priority.

With the Senate’s approval on third reading, the proposed legislation now awaits further legislative processes before possible transmission to the executive for assent.