From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
A Professor of Public Health at the Kwara State University, Malete, has called for a decisive shift in Nigeria’s malaria control strategy, urging stronger reliance on local research, data-driven tools and integrated vector management as the country intensifies efforts toward elimination.
The lecture, titled “The Malaria Odyssey: From Test-tube to Natural Products and Geospatial Modelling,” was delivered by Professor Oluwasogo Adewole Olalubi at the 20th inaugural lecture of the Kwara State University, Malete recently
Professor Olalubi stressed that Nigeria must move beyond fragmented interventions and adopt more coordinated, evidence-based approaches. He particularly urged the National Malaria Elimination Programme under the Federal Ministry of Health to prioritise Kwara State for larvicide field trials, noting that local adaptation of Larval Source Management (LSM) could significantly strengthen malaria control outcomes.
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“Integration of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), indoor residual spraying (IRS) and larval source management offers a far greater control effort than any single method,” he said. “No further research is needed on LSM at this stage—it is ready for implementation and should be adopted as a central pillar for malaria elimination in Nigeria.”
He further emphasised the need for increased investment in research and innovation, including indigenous diagnostic tools, vector control technologies, drug development and vaccine research. According to him, strengthening genomic surveillance of Plasmodium parasites and Anopheles mosquitoes would improve national response capacity.
The don also advocated the adoption of digital and geospatial technologies in disease control, insisting that data must drive decision-making at all levels of intervention.
“No effective data, no disease control,” he warned, calling for wider use of mobile reporting systems, DHIS2 dashboards and geospatial mapping to track malaria trends and guide responses.
On health system strengthening, he recommended improved access to antimalarial drugs and diagnostic tools, integration of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy into antenatal care, and strict enforcement of test-before-treatment protocols.
Professor Olalubi also called for greater community participation, suggesting partnerships with traditional and religious leaders and a shift from mass net distribution campaigns to more targeted interventions supported by trained community health workers.
He urged increased domestic financing for malaria programmes and encouraged private sector participation in funding and service delivery, noting that sustainable malaria control cannot rely solely on donor support.
According to him, strategies must also reflect environmental differences between urban and rural settings, with urban areas focusing on drainage management and spraying, while rural communities require vegetation control and community-led outreach.
He further proposed the establishment of a Nigerian Institute of Malaria Studies at KWASU to serve as a multidisciplinary hub for research, training and operational science.
“The future of malaria elimination in Nigeria depends on institutions that can bridge science, policy and community action,” he said. “We must build systems that are locally grounded, technologically driven and sustainably funded.”
