The National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) of the federal ministry of health and human services has clarified that recent information circulated by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) regarding the use of artemether-lumefantrine is not a global recommendation and does not apply to Nigeria.
In an official statement dated August 26, 2026, and signed by its National Coordinator, Dr Nnenna Ogbulafor, the NMEP said the US CDC information was specifically applicable to the United States.
The programme said Nigeria continuously monitors the effectiveness of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) through regular Therapeutic Efficacy Studies (TES), with periodic representation of states across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
According to the NMEP, current evidence from Nigeria’s TES shows that all recommended ACTs remain efficacious when administered as a three-day treatment regimen.
The programme therefore urged Nigerians and healthcare workers to continue following the country’s existing malaria treatment guidelines, including the use of artemether-lumefantrine as a three-day treatment where indicated.
It stressed that the best practice remains conducting a parasitological diagnosis before treating suspected malaria cases.
The NMEP also encouraged the use of different ACTs under its Multiple First Line Therapy (MFT) approach, which is aimed at increasing malaria parasite exposure to multiple antimalarial molecules.
The programme said the clarification was intended to reassure the public that Nigeria’s malaria treatment recommendations are based on local evidence and ongoing monitoring.
It further called on health workers at all levels to adhere strictly to the Nigerian National Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Malaria, particularly by ensuring that patients who test positive for malaria receive appropriate treatment.
The NMEP thanked frontline healthcare workers across the country for their continued service to humanity.