Kogi launches first net distribution drive in 9 years to fight malaria

Kogi State's health authorities will roll out a statewide mosquito net distribution programme next month, targeting millions of households in a bid to reduce malaria transmission across the state. The initiative, set to run from November 8 to 15, 2026, involves handing out more than 3.14 million insecticide-treated nets to residents at no cost.

The effort marks the state's first major free distribution exercise in nine years, according to officials who announced the plan during a media briefing in Lokoja. The campaign is being led by the Kogi State Ministry of Health alongside two key partners: the National Malaria Elimination Programme and Malaria Consortium, an international health organisation.

Dr Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, the state's Commissioner for Health, disclosed details of the operation, describing it as a critical opportunity to strengthen household protection against malaria. Current malaria prevalence in Kogi stands at 8.9 percent, underscoring the scale of the public health challenge the state faces.

Representatives from partner organisations stressed that the nets alone will not solve Nigeria's malaria problem without sustained commitment from government at all levels. Olubunmi Ojelade, a programme officer with Malaria Consortium in Nigeria, noted that countries that have successfully reduced malaria burden demonstrated consistent political backing and long-term investment in prevention and control measures.

The nets will be distributed free to households across all local government areas in the state during the one-week campaign period. Health officials described the distribution as a response to nearly a decade without a statewide free net provision exercise, framing it as both an urgent intervention and a demonstration of renewed focus on malaria prevention at the state level.