As Nigeria joins the rest of the world in commemorating the World Malaria Day 2025, Nkechi Isaac sat down with the executive director of Block Malaria Africa Initiative, co-chair of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and one of Africa’s leading youth voices in malaria advocacy, Odinaka Kingsley Obeta. In this no-holds-barred interview, Obeta breaks down why 2025 is a turning point in the global fight against malaria, how Nigeria is measuring up and why young people are the ultimate game changers in the push to eliminate one of the world’s deadliest diseases.
Why is 2025 very important in the fight against malaria?
2025 is a decisive year in the fight against malaria. It’s a critical milestone for global elimination efforts and national malaria strategies. It also marks the 8th Global Fund Replenishment – a crucial moment for determining the level of financial commitment available to sustain and scale up malaria programmes. However, this is happening in a very difficult funding climate. Economic strains, global conflicts and competing health priorities are making it harder to secure the resources we need. Without increased commitments to the Global Fund, we risk losing decades of progress. Malaria cases and deaths could rise again. It’s also the year we’ll truly begin to assess the impact of new tools like the Oxford R21 Matrix and RTS,S malaria vaccines, which are being rolled out in endemic countries, including Nigeria. Expanding vaccine reach, investing in innovative vector control tools and addressing challenges like climate change, insecticide and drug resistance, and humanitarian crises will be critical in shaping the future of malaria elimination.
Why is it important for communication stakeholders to harmonize engagement strategies?
Communication stakeholders need to harmonize engagement strategies because malaria elimination isn’t just a scientific issue – it’s a communication issue too. Without a harmonized communication strategy, misinformation spreads easily, interventions become fragmented, and precious resources are wasted. As Nigeria scales up efforts – whether through the Nigeria Malaria and NTDs Youth Corps, local production of bed nets, or vaccine rollouts – communication becomes the glue that holds everything together. Strategic, unified messaging will keep malaria at the top of the public health agenda. That’s how we drive awareness, increase intervention uptake and push for stronger political commitment.
How would you rate Nigeria’s efforts in the fight against malaria?
Nigeria has made huge strides, especially in the last two years. The launch of the malaria vaccine in 2024 was historic and integrating it into the national routine immunization schedule was a smart move. The establishment of the Nigeria End Malaria Council (NEMC) is another major step. It’s focused on driving high-level advocacy and increasing domestic financing for malaria elimination. Then there’s the Accelerated Malaria Elimination National (AMEN) Agenda. It emphasises local production of key malaria tools like insecticide-treated nets, diagnostics and medicines. Reducing dependency on foreign aid is critical for sustainability.
Appointing people like Dr. Godwin Ntadom as director of public health shows that the government is serious about putting experienced hands in strategic positions. It aligns well with Prof. Ali Pate’s broader health vision. Nigeria is also leading on the global front. The Nigeria Malaria and NTDs Youth Corps, launched in August 2024, was the first of its kind in Africa. That’s a huge deal. We also have strong representation in international platforms now – I as co-chair of the RBM Youth Workstream and Ayodele Olu Ipinmoye of ACOMIN on the RBM partnership board. We are pushing Nigeria’s priorities globally. But malaria remains the leading public health challenge in Nigeria. To meet the 2030 goals, we must secure more funding through the Global Fund, strengthen domestic financing via the NEMC, scale up equitable vaccine access, improve malaria surveillance systems and push for cross-sectoral collaboration to embed malaria into broader health and development frameworks.
What’s Block Malaria Africa doing to promote awareness?
We are laser-focused on community-led, youth-driven engagement. We partner with youth groups, student associations, and local health authorities. We’ve reached over 40,000 people in Plateau State alone using radio campaigns, school interventions and community events. Our Jos Block Malaria Project is a prime example. We distributed over 2,000 long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) to vulnerable populations. Between 2018 and 2020, our radio shows reached more than 40,000 listeners across Plateau, Bauchi and Taraba states. Through initiatives like “Zero Malaria Starts With Me,” we empower young people to lead sessions, organise sanitation drives and create digital content. Our approach is holistic—awareness, action and sustainability.
What role can youth play in malaria elimination?
Youth are central to this fight. The 2025 theme, “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” reflects the power we hold. We can innovate. We can create AI models to predict outbreaks, build mobile apps and use social media to spread facts. We can advocate – demand more funding, organise petitions and pressure policymakers. We can educate – in schools, religious centres and on the streets. We can do research – take up malaria-focused theses or fieldwork. We can collaborate – join international youth forums and build regional solidarity. Malaria still kills a child every minute in Africa. But we, the youth, are the ones who can finally end that. We are not just the future. We are the now.
What are the key messages and actions for World Malaria Day 2025?
The theme says it all: “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite.” The fight against malaria is urgent and winnable. We must invest in local solutions and community-led action. Youth are not just participants – they are leaders. The actions are clear. First, we must reinvest in malaria programmes, especially with the decline in international aid. Domestic financing must take the lead now. Second, we must reimagine how we fight malaria – use tech, digital platforms and storytelling. Third, we must reignite youth-led campaigns, from school programmes to social media advocacy.
Let’s build local-global bridges with groups like RBM Partnership and WHO, scale up our efforts in hard-to-reach communities and ensure every Nigerian child grows up malaria-free. We have the tools. We have the will. Now, we need to act – loud, bold and together.
