African leaders called for a new era of sustainable malaria financing, warning that stalled progress and declining international aid threaten to reverse decades of hard-won gains against the disease.
At the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, heads of state endorsed the African Union’s 2025 Malaria Progress Report, which shows the continent accounted for 270.8 million malaria cases and 594,119 deaths in 2024 about 96percent and 97percent of global totals, respectively.
Progress has plateaued since 2015, and only five countries have met the African Union’s 2025 target of reducing malaria incidence or mortality by 75percent under its Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030.
The report warns that a 30percent drop in malaria funding could lead to 640 million fewer insecticide-treated nets distributed by 2030, 146 million additional cases, nearly 397,000 more deaths — three-quarters of them among children under five — and a projected $37 billion loss in gross domestic product. Annual cases could exceed 400 million and deaths surpass 1 million without urgent action.
“The perfect storm of converging crises threatening malaria elimination has intensified,” said President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko of Botswana, chair of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance. He cited a 70% decline in official development assistance for health to Africa over four years and a shortfall in the Global Fund’s $18 billion replenishment target.
Leaders pledged to increase domestic resource mobilization and expand innovative financing, including public-private partnerships. End Malaria Councils and Funds in 12 countries have mobilized more than $200 million, the report said.
They also urged global partners to honor existing commitments and renew the World Bank’s Malaria Booster Program, which committed more than $1 billion between 2005 and 2010. A revived program, leaders said, would help close funding gaps, deploy next-generation tools and strengthen climate-resilient health systems and community health worker programs.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan pointed to growing investment in African-led research, including gene-drive technology under development at the Ifakara Health Institute aimed at reducing mosquito transmission of the malaria parasite.
The report highlighted gains in prevention and treatment tools. In 2025, 74percent of insecticide-treated nets distributed in Africa were next-generation dual active-ingredient nets, up from 20percent in 2023. Twenty-four countries introduced World Health Organization-approved malaria vaccines for children under five, with 28.3 million doses distributed in 2025, compared with 10.5 million in 2024.
The WHO also prequalified two spatial repellent products in 2025, the first new vector control intervention in decades. Twenty-two countries planned to implement seasonal malaria chemoprevention last year.
Leaders stressed the need to expand local manufacturing. Africa imports 99percent of its vaccines and 95percent of medicines. Nigeria has entered partnerships to produce antimalarial drugs and rapid diagnostic tests locally and is working toward manufacturing next-generation nets on the continent.
The African Medicines Agency, ratified by 31 countries, is working with regional blocs to harmonize regulatory standards and speed approval of new health products.
According to the report, full funding and deployment of existing and new tools could save 13.2 million lives over 15 years and generate more than $140 billion in economic gains. Every dollar invested in the Global Fund yields an estimated $19 in returns.
