Saheed Oyelakin
Nigeria has commenced local production of next-generation dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated mosquito nets as part of efforts to strengthen malaria prevention and domestic manufacturing of essential health products.
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare announced the development in a statement issued Thursday and signed by its Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako.
The new facility, Health Textiles Nigeria FZE, wholly owned by Vestergaard Sàrl, is the first in Nigeria to manufacture dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated nets, according to the ministry.
The facility will produce PermaNet Dual, a mosquito net manufactured by Vestergaard to address the growing challenge of insecticide resistance and prequalified by the World Health Organisation in 2023.
“At full scale, the facility is expected to produce approximately 10 million nets annually and create more than 600 jobs.
“About 80 employees have already been recruited and are undergoing training in manufacturing excellence, product quality, occupational health and safety, and regulatory compliance,” the statement read.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, said the development aligned with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and its focus on unlocking the healthcare value chain through investment, local production and stronger domestic capacity.
“This investment demonstrates what is possible when government policy, private-sector investment and technology transfer come together to unlock Nigeria’s healthcare value chain. The commencement of local production also strengthens our capacity to produce essential health products and supports a more resilient health system,” the minister said.
The establishment of Health Textiles Nigeria followed a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding between Vestergaard and the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain to strengthen local production capacity for essential health products.
The development comes as Nigeria continues to bear a substantial share of the global malaria burden.
The World Health Organisation estimates that malaria caused 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024, with the African Region accounting for the overwhelming majority of cases and deaths.
With production now underway, Health Textiles Nigeria is expected to fulfil its first commercial orders in the coming months, expanding Nigeria’s capacity to produce malaria prevention commodities locally, the ministry said.
Copyright PUNCH
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
