Nigeria Joins African Nations in Malaria Treatment Breakthrough for Newborns

Nigeria has marked a major milestone in the fight against malaria, joining seven other African nations in securing approval for the first-ever treatment specifically designed for newborns and infants weighing under five kilograms.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) applauded Nigeria’s role in the clinical trial that paved the way for the therapy, calling it “a turning point in the global fight against malaria.”

Up until now, this vulnerable group of infants had no approved medical solution. Health workers were often forced to improvise by splitting or diluting drugs intended for older children—an unsafe practice that carried the constant risk of overdose, drug toxicity, or outright treatment failure.

The newly developed drug, a specially formulated artemether-lumefantrin, has been created to dissolve in breast milk and carries a mild, sweet taste, making it easier and safer to administer to fragile babies.

Swiss regulators have already given the green light to the therapy. Nigeria and other trial countries are expected to accelerate their own approvals under the Swiss agency’s Marketing Authorisation for Global Health Products framework, ensuring faster access to this lifesaving treatment.