A civil society group has rejected the SNG Health agreement signed with the Federal Ministry of Health, describing it as deceptive and harmful to local manufacturers of insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
The group, Health Reform Initiative Nigeria (He-RIN), said this in a joint statement issued on Wednesday by its Executive Director, Sunday Tobi, and Secretary, Abdul Musa.
He-RIN condemned the agreement that led to a partnership between Vestergaard and Harvestfield, which resulted in the formation of SNG Health for the supply of mosquito nets in Nigeria.
According to the group, the arrangement is a continuation of the activities of the United Nations Office for Project Services, which it alleged previously dominated the sector under questionable circumstances.
The organisation accused the Ministry of Health of deliberately undermining local manufacturers of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, linking Nigeria’s high malaria burden to years of policy inconsistency and excessive reliance on imported mosquito nets.
He-RIN said Nigeria accounts for about 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of malaria-related deaths, citing the World Health Organization’s World Malaria Report, with children under five and pregnant women most affected.
The group noted that despite heavy investments in malaria control by donors such as the Global Fund, World Bank, USAID and UN agencies, malaria outcomes remain poor due to weak local manufacturing capacity and opaque procurement practices.
It also faulted Nigeria’s health sector funding, noting that budgetary allocations to health have remained between four and six per cent of the national budget, far below the 15 per cent Abuja Declaration target.
He-RIN alleged that plans concluded in 2022 for local production of mosquito nets were abruptly halted shortly after the current administration assumed office, leaving manufacturers idle while malaria continues to claim lives.
The group said the SNG Health arrangement contradicts President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which promotes local production, job creation and a resilient health system.
It claimed that blocking local manufacturers from accessing a proposed $100m contract for mosquito net production cost the country jobs, foreign exchange savings and opportunities to reduce malaria deaths.
He-RIN further alleged conflicts of interest within the Ministry of Health, accusing the ministry of favouring foreign-linked arrangements while ignoring certified Nigerian manufacturers with a history of supplying international donors.
The organisation called on the President to halt the SNG Health arrangement and order a full investigation into the handling of funds meant to support local mosquito net production.
It urged the Federal Government to prioritise Nigerian manufacturers through transparent procurement processes, access to financing and guaranteed markets, insisting that strengthening local capacity is key to reducing malaria deaths.
