Nigeria has recorded the highest number of malaria cases and deaths globally, according to the 2025 World Malaria Report. The report, which analyzed 2024 data from the World Health Organisation, estimates that Nigeria had approximately 68,466,000 malaria cases, accounting for about 24.3% of all cases worldwide. Furthermore, the country recorded roughly 184,800 malaria deaths, representing 30.3% of all malaria deaths globally.
Globally, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases across 80 endemic countries in 2024, representing a 58% year-on-year increase. The report notes that several sub-Saharan African countries, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Mozambique, continue to drive global malaria transmission. Factors such as extreme climate events, conflict, population growth, and disruptions to essential health services have worsened the trend in recent years.
The report highlights that between 2000 and 2015, malaria case incidence declined by 25.6%, but between 2015 and 2024, the incidence increased by 8.5%. In 2024, the malaria case incidence was 64.0 per 1,000 population at risk, representing a 2% increase from 2023. The increase in incidence was mainly driven by year-on-year rises in countries such as Rwanda, Yemen, Madagascar, and Ethiopia.
In terms of malaria deaths, the report estimates that there were approximately 610,000 globally in 2024, an increase of 12,000 compared to 2023. Three countries – Madagascar, Ethiopia, and Yemen – accounted for 85% of the year-on-year increase in malaria deaths. The report also notes that the malaria mortality rate almost halved between 2000 and 2015, but the decline has slowed since 2015, decreasing by a further 7.4% over the past nine years.
The World Health Organisation’s report emphasizes the need for continued efforts to combat malaria, particularly in high-burden countries such as Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The organisation’s data suggests that population growth has contributed to the increase in estimated malaria deaths, despite a decline in mortality rates over recent years. The report’s findings highlight the importance of sustained investment in malaria control and prevention measures to reduce the burden of the disease globally.