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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Federal Government has flagged-off the construction of Nigeria’s first dual active ingredient, Long-Lasting Insecticidal Net (LLIN) manufacturing facility, in Ogun State.
The project, which was championed by the Presidential Initiative on Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) is a joint venture between Swiss-based Vestergaard Sàrl and Nigeria’s Own Harvestfield Industrial and was facilitated by PVAC.
National Coordinator of PVAC, Dr. Abdu Muhktar, said the state-of-the-art plant is expected to start production in April 2026 and would produce approximately 10 million long-lasting insecticidal nets annually, covering about 30 percent of Nigeria’s LLIN demand.
He said: “This project marks a transformative step towards strengthening local production of essential commodities. The investment will not only reduce reliance on imports but also create an estimated 600 skilled jobs, stimulate industrial growth and position Nigeria as a regional hub for health product manufacturing.”
He noted that malaria is a massive public health challenge in Nigeria, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths, mostly in children and accounting for a quarter of global cases and deaths, a situation the presidential initiative is gearing to change.
Dr. Mukhtar further noted that leaders of the joint venture, heads of agencies, government parastatals and partners, like the World Bank, the Gates Foundation and the National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) are also optimistic that the facility would contribute significantly to the reduction or possible eradication of malaria in Nigeria and Africa.
