Malaria in Nigeria: How to Protect Your Family Beyond the Mosquito Net

 

Last reviewed: November 1st, 2026 | By Ugochukwu

Malaria is so common in Nigeria that many families treat every fever as malaria. That habit can be dangerous. It can delay the right treatment, and it can hide other serious illnesses. This guide explains how malaria spreads, how to cut mosquito breeding around your home, and when a fever needs urgent care.

How big is the problem?

The World Health Organization (WHO) World Malaria Report 2025 recorded 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths worldwide in 2024. The WHO African Region carried 94% of cases and 95% of deaths, and about three-quarters of the deaths in the region were children under five [1]. Nigeria is one of five countries that together account for more than half of all global cases [1]. The previous report found that Nigeria alone accounted for about 26% of global cases in 2023, roughly 68 million of 263 million [2].

How malaria spreads

Malaria is caused by parasites carried by female Anopheles mosquitoes. WHO notes that the important malaria mosquito species bite between dusk and dawn, so evenings and nights are the highest-risk hours [3]. Mosquitoes breed in standing water, even small amounts. WHO also notes that household drinking-water containers can serve as breeding sites for disease-carrying insects [4]. After floods, puddles and blocked drains can multiply mosquito numbers. Read our guide on flooding and health in Nigeria.

Symptoms to watch for

WHO lists the most common early symptoms as fever, headache and chills. They can be mild and look like other fevers, so early testing matters [3]. Severe malaria can cause fatigue, confusion, seizures and difficulty breathing [3]. Children under five and pregnant women are at greatest risk of severe illness [3].

Not every fever is malaria. In the dry season, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) warns that fever and headache should not automatically be assumed to be malaria, because meningitis is also a risk [5]. Ask for a malaria test before you take treatment.

Protect your home and family

1. Sleep under an insecticide-treated net every night. WHO says insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying are the two core vector control tools [3]. Tuck the net under the mattress and repair holes.
2. Remove standing water every week. Check old tyres, buckets, tins, blocked gutters and flower-pot trays.
3. Cover water tanks, drums and buckets with tight lids [4].
4. Keep drains clear so that water flows instead of pooling.
5. Screen windows and doors if you can, and close them at dusk.
6. Wear long sleeves and trousers in the evening, and use a repellent as directed on its label.
7. Protect pregnant women and young children first. Ask your health worker about malaria prevention during pregnancy and for young children.

Some prevention tools are new. The WHO report highlights new-generation insecticide-treated nets, two malaria vaccines (RTS,S and R21) and seasonal malaria chemoprevention, all of which have shown promising results [1]. Ask your local clinic whether the vaccine or seasonal chemoprevention is offered in your area.

If you or your child has a fever

• Get tested at a clinic, hospital or pharmacy that offers a rapid or laboratory test before you take any drug.
• Finish the treatment you are given, and do not share medicines. The WHO report warns about growing resistance to artemisinin-based medicines, which makes correct use more important [1].
• Go to hospital immediately for convulsions, confusion, difficulty breathing, severe weakness, repeated vomiting, or a child who is unusually sleepy or hard to wake. Malaria can become severe quickly, especially in young children [3].

Community action

Mosquito control is a shared job. Keep your street's drains clear, do not dump refuse where water collects, and ask your local environmental health officer about drainage problems.

Conclusion

A net, clean surroundings, a test before treatment and quick action on warning signs can prevent most serious malaria. Share this guide with your family and neighbours.

This article gives general health information and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you or someone you care for is ill, see a qualified health worker.

About the author: Ugochukwu Dike holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Anatomy from the University of Calabar and is studying B.Sc. Environmental Health Science at the National Open University of Nigeria.

References

1. EMJ. “Global Malaria Report 2025: Progress and Challenges” (summary of WHO World Malaria Report 2025). https://www.emjreviews.com/microbiology-infectious-diseases/news/global-malaria-report-2025-progress-and-challenges/
2. The ICIR. “Nigeria still carries world's highest malaria burden” (on WHO World Malaria Report 2024). https://www.icirnigeria.org/nigeria-still-carries-worlds-highest-malaria-burden/
3. World Health Organization. Malaria fact sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria
4. World Health Organization. Drinking-water fact sheet. https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water
5. Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. “3rd March 2026 | Public Health Advisory on Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).” https://www.ncdc.gov.ng/news/535/3rd-march-2026-%7C-public-health-advisory-on-cerebrospinal-meningitis-%28csm%29
6. World Health Organization. Executive summary: World malaria report 2025. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/executive-summary-world-malaria-report-2025