African Heads of State and Government have called for a new era of sustainable malaria financing, warning that hard-won gains against the disease are at risk of being reversed as progress stalls and global funding declines.
The appeal was made at the 39th African Union Summit in Ethiopia, where leaders received the African Union Malaria Progress Report 2025. The report, presented by Duma Gideon Boko, President of Botswana and Chair of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), highlights growing concern that Africa’s malaria response is entering a critical phase without urgent investment and policy action.
Progress stalls as cases and deaths remain high
According to the report, African Union Member States accounted for 270.8 million malaria cases in 2024 - 96% of the global total and 594,119 deaths, representing 97% of global fatalities. Only five Member States have met the African Union’s 2025 targets to cut malaria incidence or mortality by 75%, under the continent’s Catalytic Framework to end AIDS, tuberculosis and eliminate malaria by 2030.
The findings underline a worrying plateau in progress since 2015, raising fears of a resurgence if current trends continue.
Funding crisis risks reversing decades of gains
The report warns that a 30% cut in malaria financing could lead to 640 million fewer insecticide-treated nets, 146 million additional cases and 397,000 extra deaths - three quarters of them among children under five - by 2030. The economic toll could reach $37 billion in lost GDP across Africa.
According to President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko, Republic of Botswana, Chair of ALMA, “The perfect storm of converging crises threatening malaria elimination has intensified. Official Development Assistance for health in Africa has declined by 70% in just four years, and the Eighth Replenishment of the Global Fund fell significantly short of its $18 billion target. We cannot allow these challenges to reverse decades of progress that have prevented 1.64 billion cases and saved 12.4 million lives since 2000.”
Africa pivots to domestic financing and partnerships
In response, African leaders pledged to expand domestic resource mobilisation, strengthen innovative financing models and develop national health financing sustainability plans.
The report highlights that End Malaria Councils and Funds in 12 countries have already mobilised more than $200 million through public–private partnerships, demonstrating the potential of multisectoral collaboration to support malaria elimination and broader universal health coverage goals.
Leaders also urged global partners to honour funding commitments, renew the World Bank’s Malaria Booster Programme and align investments with national strategies to help deploy next-generation tools, support community health workers, and build climate-resilient health systems.
Innovation and research drive new tools
African countries are scaling up new malaria technologies and interventions. In 2025, 74% of insecticide-treated nets distributed across the continent were next-generation dual active-ingredient nets, significantly more effective against resistant mosquitoes than older alternatives.
Twenty-four countries have introduced World Health Organization-approved malaria vaccines for children under five, with 28.3 million doses distributed in 2025. Two new spatial repellent products were also prequalified by the WHO, marking the first new vector control method in decades.
“Our approach has spanned the full spectrum of what it takes to beat this disease. Tanzania has invested in world-class research and is home to the Ifakara Health Institute, where our scientists are working at the frontier of new technologies, including gene drive–an innovative approach that aims to ensure mosquitoes can no longer transmit the malaria parasite. This is African science, conducted by African researchers, addressing an African challenge,” noted Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Push for local manufacturing and health sovereignty
Leaders stressed the importance of local manufacturing to improve affordability and supply security. Currently, Africa imports 99% of its vaccines and 95% of medicines.
Countries, including Nigeria, are pursuing partnerships to produce antimalarial drugs, rapid diagnostic tests and next-generation nets locally, while regulatory harmonisation efforts through the African Medicines Agency aim to accelerate access to new health technologies across the continent.
“Full deployment of existing and new tools, combined with full funding, could save over 13.2 million lives over the next 15 years and boost African economies by over $140 billion. Every dollar invested in the Global Fund delivers $19 in returns. We have the tools. We need the resources,” stated Michael Adekunle Charles, CEO, RBM Partnership to End Malaria.
Call to action for governments and global partners
African leaders concluded with a call for malaria to be treated as a central pillar of health sovereignty and economic transformation. They urged Member States to protect and increase both domestic and international funding and fully implement the Catalytic Framework through a renewed “Big Push Against Malaria”.
International partners were also urged to meet commitments, align support with African-led strategies and invest in the systems and innovations needed to secure a malaria-free future.
Despite the scale of the challenge, leaders expressed confidence that with strong political leadership, data-driven strategies and sustained investment, Africa can bend the curve towards elimination and ensure future generations grow up free from malaria.
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