Nigeria has commenced local production of insecticide-treated mosquito nets as part of efforts to strengthen malaria prevention and reduce dependence on imported health products.

The new facility, Health Textiles Nigeria FZE, is the first in the country to manufacture dual-active ingredient mosquito nets, according to the Federal Ministry of Health.

The facility will produce PermaNet Dual nets, which are designed to tackle the growing problem of insecticide resistance and were prequalified by the World Health Organisation in 2023.

At full capacity, the facility is expected to produce about 10 million nets annually and create more than 600 jobs.

The Health Ministry says the project will strengthen local manufacturing of essential health products and boost Nigeria’s healthcare value chain.

About 80 employees have already been recruited and are undergoing specialised training, while the first commercial orders are expected to be fulfilled in the coming months.