The Kogi government, in collaboration with Malaria Consortium, will distribute 3.14 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets to households across the state from November 8 to 15 to reduce malaria prevalence.

The Commissioner for Health, Abdulazeez Adeiza, said this on Thursday in Lokoja at a news conference on the 2026 Insecticide-Treated Net (ITN) campaign.

Mr Adeiza, represented by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, Enoch Maji, said the exercise would be implemented through the ministry’s Malaria Elimination Programme, in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and Malaria Consortium.

He said the distribution aims to strengthen malaria prevention, noting that Kogi’s malaria prevalence stood at 8.9 per cent, according to the 2025 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey.

The commissioner said designated personnel in uniform bearing the malaria logo would distribute the free nets. He urged households to ensure that a representative is available for registration and collection.

He advised beneficiaries to air the nets under a shade for 24 hours before use and sleep under them every night throughout the year.

The government said the exercise is particularly significant because the state had not benefited from a free insecticide-treated net distribution campaign in the past nine years.

Oluwabumi Ojelade, Social and Behavioural Change and External Communication Adviser at Malaria Consortium, said the campaign would focus on distributing the nets and also on ensuring their proper use.

Ms Ojelade advised beneficiaries to sleep under the nets every night and to air newly received nets in the shade for 24 hours before use.

(NAN)