If malaria had a frequent-flyer programme, Nigeria would be its top customer, accounting for roughly a quarter of global cases.
That makes the ground-breaking of SNG Health’s new factory in Ogun State a huge relief, with Nigeria taking control of its own malaria defence.
The joint venture between Vestergaard and Harvestfield Industries, SNG Health, will locally produce PermaNet Dual, with operations expected to start in April 2026 and an annual capacity of 10 million nets. The factory is projected to create about 600 skilled jobs.
The launch event on Monday, December 8, 2025, was attended by public-sector and international partners including PVAC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Malaria Elimination Programme, the Swiss Consulate in Lagos, and the World Bank, among others.
These stakeholders reiterated that this is industrial policy dressed as public health. Local manufacture means speed, stability and the chance to beat insecticide resistance at scale.
“Nigeria still bears 25% of the global malaria burden,” said Nicolas Schornoz, Vestergaard’s chief financial & operating officer. He added that producing dual-active ingredient nets locally will reduce import dependence and add resilience to a fragile supply chain.
Prosper Ndayiragije, managing director of SNG Health, said: “Every net produced from this project structure will not just be a product, it’s a shield of protection, a symbol of hope and a tangible step towards a malaria-free future.”
He noted that hiring is already underway, with seven staff on board and plans to expand to 80 permanent employees by February. Equipment and raw materials are en route.
Harvestfield’s CEO, Martins Awofisayo, spoke on the firm’s partnership, reiterating that the project is homegrown industrialisation: “We are bringing the best to Nigeria. We are not coming to cut corners. This will be the best net production ever in Nigeria.”
Harvestfield has been part of Nigeria’s malaria response for decades, and already has a solid local manufacturing footprint.
Government officials also confirmed strong support for the project. Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of PVAC, stated: “When you produce, we will buy.”
He linked the project to the President’s Nigeria-first procurement policy and pledged coordination on incentives, free-trade zones and licensing to help the factory thrive. That guarantee is important as local demand is the quickest path from startup to scale.
Health officials including Dr Nnenna Ogbulafor of the National Malaria Elimination Programme stressed that nets must reach both campaigns and routine distribution points such as antenatal clinics and child-immunisation centres.
“Since 2021 the programme has distributed about 150 million nets,” she noted; local manufacturing should make routine replenishment more reliable and equitable.
International partners said the factory was part of resilience building. The World Bank’s Onoriode Ezire emphasised jobs and human capital, fewer workdays lost to malaria, greater productivity, and a healthier workforce.
Switzerland’s Consul General, Cornelia Camenzind, celebrated the technology transfer and research pedigree that Vestergaard brings, noting that this is knowledge-sharing investment, not just a bricks-and-mortar one.
PermaNet Dual is a dual-active net (pyrethroid + chlorfenapyr) designed to tackle insecticide resistance, which has reduced the effectiveness of older nets in many regions.
Local production means faster responses to outbreaks, fewer logistical delays, and the potential for Nigeria to supply neighbouring countries if demand and quality standards are met.
The plant’s planned capacity of 10 million nets per year is noteworthy but will require strong procurement, financing and distribution to make a huge impact on national coverage.
There are risks. Manufacturing at scale requires steady cash flow, regulatory certainty and market commitments. The speakers addressed these points, with government procurement pledges, donor interest and World Bank support all emphasised.
Ultimately, execution in keeping the factory supplied with orders and sustaining quality over time, will determine success. If tackled effectively, SNG Health could be the first of many steps toward a self-reliant public-health industry in West Africa.
In March 2024, Nigeria signed the Yaoundé Declaration, pledging that “no one should die from malaria given the tools and systems available.”
The ground-breaking ceremony turns that pledge into action, building on the momentum from the memorandum of understanding that was signed between the Nigerian Ministry of Health and Vestergaard last year, and turning technological advancements into tangible progress for a malaria-free generation.
