Facility targets 10 million nets yearly and more than 600 jobs at full production
By Raymond Ken-Mbata
ABUJA – Nigeria has commenced local production of next-generation insecticide-treated mosquito nets, with the new manufacturing facility expected to produce about 10 million nets annually when it reaches full capacity.
The facility, operated by Health Textiles Nigeria FZE, is producing dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated nets designed to help tackle the growing problem of insecticide resistance, one of the challenges facing malaria control efforts. The Federal Government welcomed the development as part of efforts to expand local manufacturing of essential health commodities.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said the commencement of production was important both for malaria prevention and for strengthening Nigeria’s ability to manufacture critical health products locally. He also linked the investment to the need to build a stronger domestic healthcare value chain, create employment and reduce dependence on external sources for essential commodities.
A statement signed by Ado Bako, Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said the facility followed a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding between Vestergaard and the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC).
The National Coordinator of PVAC, Dr Abdu Mukhtar, said the project showed how investment, technology transfer and government policy could be combined to turn healthcare-sector partnerships into actual manufacturing capacity and skills development.
For Vestergaard, which owns Health Textiles Nigeria FZE, the project brings together Nigerian workers and technical expertise with the company’s manufacturing technology. The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Amar Ali, said the facility was established to produce mosquito nets that meet international quality, compliance and performance requirements.
Health Textiles Nigeria FZE is the first facility in Nigeria producing dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated mosquito nets. Its main product, PermaNet® Dual, was prequalified by the World Health Organisation in 2023 and is designed to provide protection in settings where mosquitoes have developed resistance to some insecticides.
The company has so far employed about 80 people and is training Nigerian workers in manufacturing, quality control, occupational health and safety and regulatory compliance. At full production, it expects to employ more than 600 people, with the first commercial orders expected in the coming months.
The investment comes against the backdrop of a heavy malaria burden. The WHO estimated that malaria caused about 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024, with the African Region carrying the largest share of the burden. Nigeria accounts for roughly a quarter of malaria cases worldwide.
For a country that remains heavily affected by malaria, local production of effective prevention tools could have implications beyond the factory floor. It could improve the availability of mosquito nets, reduce vulnerabilities in supply and create opportunities for Nigerian workers and businesses across the health manufacturing chain.
The Federal Government is expected to continue supporting investments that bring technology, manufacturing expertise and skills into Nigeria’s health sector, while maintaining the quality and regulatory standards required to ensure that locally produced health commodities are safe and fit for use.
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