Nigeria Among Eight African Nations to Launch First-Ever Malaria Treatment for Newborns
Story: written By Zara Esther August 18,2025
Nigeria has joined seven other African countries to pioneer the rollout of the world’s first malaria treatment developed specifically for newborns, according to the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
The breakthrough marks a major milestone in tackling one of Africa’s deadliest childhood diseases, with Nigeria carrying the highest global malaria burden.
The newly approved treatment, an artemether-lumefantrin formulation, is designed for infants weighing less than five kilogrammes. Until now, no approved therapy existed for this vulnerable age group. In many cases, infants were administered modified doses of drugs meant for older children, which posed significant health risks.
Africa CDC described the innovation as a “critical advance” in closing the treatment gap for Africa’s youngest and most vulnerable.
The rollout is being pioneered by eight countries — Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda — all of which participated in clinical trials that proved instrumental in securing regulatory approval.
The new formulation was developed through a partnership between Novartis and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) under the PAMAfrica consortium, with funding support from the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
Swiss drug regulators have already approved the treatment, while rapid authorisation is expected in the eight African countries under the Swiss agency’s Marketing Authorisation for Global Health Products procedure.
“This approval is a major step forward in the fight against malaria. It ensures that even the smallest and most vulnerable infants now have access to safe and effective treatment,” said Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC.
The treatment will be introduced largely on a not-for-profit basis to increase accessibility in malaria-endemic regions, where nearly 30 million babies are born each year.
Health experts say this development could significantly reduce child mortality rates in Africa, where malaria remains a leading killer of children under five.
