Nigeria has been named among eight African countries that contributed to the clinical trial which resulted in the approval of the world’s first malaria treatment for newborns and infants weighing less than five kilograms.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in a statement on Sunday, applauded Nigeria’s role in the groundbreaking research.
The newly approved medicine—an infant-friendly artemether-lumefantrine formulation—marks the first time a safe and effective treatment has been developed specifically for babies in this weight category. Unlike traditional formulations, the drug dissolves in breast milk, comes with a sweet flavour, and is easier to administer.
Until now, health workers had to improvise by modifying doses of medicines meant for older children—a risky practice that could result in overdose or toxicity.
Swiss regulators have already granted approval for the new formulation. At the same time, Nigeria and other participating nations are expected to fast-track clearance under the Swissmedic Marketing Authorisation for Global Health Products pathway.
Africa CDC Director-General, Dr. Jean Kaseya, hailed the development as “a major step forward in the fight against malaria,” stressing that the breakthrough will allow even the smallest and most vulnerable infants to access life-saving treatment.
Kaseya also commended the seven other trial countries—Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda—for their collective leadership.
The Principal Advisor to the Africa CDC Director-General, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, emphasized that the milestone demonstrates Africa’s capacity to drive global health innovations through collaboration, noting that Nigeria played a key role in the success of the trials.
Africa CDC pledged to support member states like Nigeria in integrating the drug into national health systems through expedited regulatory approvals, updated clinical guidelines, health worker training, and equitable distribution, particularly in rural communities.
The treatment was developed by Novartis in partnership with Medicines for Malaria Venture under the PAMAfrica consortium and will be supplied largely on a not-for-profit basis to ensure access in malaria-endemic regions.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria accounts for 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of malaria deaths. Children under five remain the most vulnerable group, making the availability of a safe formulation for infants under five kilograms a significant public health milestone for the country.
