Nigeria tops global malaria record

Malaria

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Nigeria recorded the highest number of malaria cases and deaths globally, with an estimated 68,466,000 cases, according to the 2025 World Malaria Report.

The report obtained from the World Health Organisation on Friday by our correspondent analysed 2024 data and noted that an estimated 282 million malaria cases were recorded globally across 80 endemic countries, representing 58 per cent of the year-on-year increase.

According to the report, Nigeria recorded about 30.3 per cent of all malaria deaths globally.

With global deaths standing at 610,000, Nigeria’s share translates to roughly 184,800 deaths in 2024, representing the highest malaria mortality burden in the world.

The report showed that several sub-Saharan African countries continue to drive global malaria transmission, with extreme climate events, conflict, population growth, and disruptions to essential health services worsening the trend in recent years.

The report stated, “In 2024, five countries – Nigeria (24.3 per cent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12.5 per cent), Uganda (4.7 per cent), Ethiopia (4.4 per cent), and Mozambique (3.6 per cent) – accounted for almost half of all cases.

“Malaria case incidence declined by 25.6 per cent between 2000 and 2015, from 79.4 to 59.0 per 1000 population at risk. Between 2015 and 2024, the incidence increased by 8.5 per cent. In 2024, the malaria case incidence was 64.0 per 1,000 population at risk, representing a 2% increase from 62.7 per 1,000 population at risk in 2023.

“The increase in incidence was mainly driven by year-on-year rises between 2023 and 2024 in Rwanda (43.8 per cent), Yemen (34.3 per cent), Madagascar (27.7 per cent), and Ethiopia (26.7 per cent).”

The report revealed that Nigeria recorded an estimated 68,466,000 malaria cases in 2024, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo followed with about 35,175,000 cases.

Uganda had roughly 13,216,000 cases, Ethiopia 12,437,000, and Mozambique 10,220,000. Angola reported 9,809,000 instances, the United Republic of Tanzania 9,374,000, Côte d’Ivoire 8,557,000, Mali 8,475,000, Burkina Faso 8,324,000, the Niger 8,249,000, and Madagascar 8,165,000.

Cameroon documented 7,586,000 cases, Ghana 6,740,000, Malawi 6,378,000, Zambia 5,380,000, Benin 5,123,000, Sudan 4,957,000, Burundi 4,424,000, Guinea 4,221,000, Kenya 4,186,000, and Chad 4,139,000.

South Sudan recorded 3,035,000 cases, Pakistan 3,155,000, Sierra Leone 2,443,000, Togo 2,372,000, and Yemen 1,363,000. Rwanda registered an estimated 1,100,000 cases, Liberia 967,000, Somalia 1,013,000, Congo 1,400,000, and Papua New Guinea 1,605,000. The Central African Republic had about 1,833,000 cases, while India reported 2,007,000.

Countries such as Afghanistan reported roughly 585,000 cases, Zimbabwe 149,000, Gabon 475,000, Equatorial Guinea 431,000, Guinea-Bissau 242,000, the Gambia 208,000, Eritrea 362,000, Mauritania 360,000, Colombia 178,000, and Venezuela 111,000. Peru recorded 44,000 cases, Guyana 32,000, and Djibouti 40,000. Brazil had an estimated 162,000 cases, the Solomon Islands 182,000, and Haiti 91,000.

In Asia and the Pacific, Indonesia reported around 631,000 cases, Myanmar 702,000, the Philippines 24,000, Bangladesh 16,000, Nepal 37, Thailand 7,900, Cambodia 320, and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic 540. The Republic of Korea recorded about 640 cases. Papua New Guinea had 1,605,000 cases, Vanuatu 4,000, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 5,200.

In the Americas, French Guiana recorded 250 cases, Ecuador 380, Mexico 270, the Dominican Republic 1,200, Costa Rica 240, Panama 11,000, Honduras 2,300, Guatemala 2,900, Haiti 91,000, Nicaragua 6,400, Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 22,000, Brazil 162,000, and Venezuela 111,000.

In the Eastern Mediterranean region, Iran (Islamic Republic of) recorded an estimated 2,000 cases, while Pakistan had 3,155,000, Afghanistan 585,000, and Yemen 1,363,000.

Small island nations such as Cabo Verde recorded 19 cases, Sao Tome and Principe 7,100, and Comoros 54,000.

The report also revealed that globally in 2024, there were an estimated 610,000 malaria deaths, an increase of 12,000 compared with 2023.

Three countries, Madagascar (+4,900), Ethiopia (+3,800), and Yemen (+932), accounted for 85 per cent of the year-on-year increase in malaria deaths.

“Between 2000 and 2015, malaria deaths declined by 33.1 per cent from 864,000 to 578,000. Between 2015 and 2024, deaths increased by 5.5 per cent, with more than one-third of the increase occurring between 2023 and 2024.

“In 2024, four countries – Nigeria (30.3 per cent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (11.1 per cent), Niger (5.8 per cent), and the United Republic of Tanzania (4.3 per cent) – accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths globally. Nigeria accounted for 38.6 per cent of global malaria deaths in children aged under five years.

“The malaria mortality rate almost halved between 2000 and 2015, from 28.6 to 14.9 per 100,000 population at risk. Since 2015, the decline has slowed, decreasing by a further 7.4 per cent over the past nine years. The increase in the estimated number of deaths, despite the decline in mortality rates over recent years, primarily reflects the impact of population growth. The mortality rate remained unchanged in 2024 compared with 2023, at 13.8 per 100,000 population at risk,” it added.

The PUNCH journalist, Lara, has over 10 years experience covering health, environment and CSOs

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