Vestergaard-Harvestfield joint venture establishes Nigeria’s first advanced mosquito net factory

NIGERIA— Vestergaard Sàrl and Harvestfield Industries Limited have broken ground on a pioneering joint venture that will transform malaria prevention across Nigeria through local manufacturing of advanced mosquito nets.

The newly formed partnership, operating as SNG Health, represents the first direct investment of its kind in mosquito net production within the country.

The state-of-the-art facility will produce PermaNet® Dual, Vestergaard’s cutting-edge mosquito net featuring dual active ingredients—pyrethroid and chlorfenapyr—specifically engineered to overcome insecticide resistance that has weakened traditional malaria prevention methods.

The facility expects to begin full-scale production in April 2026, reaching an annual capacity of 10 million nets while creating 600 skilled jobs for Nigerian workers.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the designated site in Ogun State, bringing together key stakeholders committed to advancing Nigeria’s health security.

Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of the President’s Value Chain Initiative, attended alongside Dr Godwin Ntadom, Director of Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and Dr Nnenna Ogbulafor, Director and National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme.

International support came from Ms. Cornelia Camenzind, Consul General at the Consulate General of Switzerland in Lagos, and Mr. Onoriode Ezire, Task Team Leader for World Bank Nigeria.

Dr Mukhtar emphasized Nigeria’s readiness to lead malaria control efforts throughout West Africa.

He explained that the facility demonstrates the Federal Government’s dedication to industrializing the health sector by anchoring critical health products within Nigerian borders.

Every mosquito net manufactured at this facility creates Nigerian jobs, strengthens local skills, and generates economic value that stays within the country.

The partnership between Vestergaard and Harvestfield exemplifies responsible, forward-thinking collaboration that prioritizes long-term sustainability alongside immediate health impact.

Nigeria carries the world’s heaviest malaria burden, representing one-quarter of all global cases.

The human toll proves even more devastating when considering that two out of every five children who die from malaria worldwide are Nigerian.

Despite these sobering figures, recent evidence from the Malaria Atlas Project reveals effective solutions already exist.

Insecticide-treated nets have prevented 72% of all malaria cases globally between 2000 and 2024.

Dual active-ingredient nets like PermaNet Dual have independently prevented 40 million cases from 2019 to 2024, proving that scaling up access to these proven tools can drive meaningful progress toward national and global malaria elimination targets.

Nigeria signed the Yaoundé Declaration in March 2024, pledging that no one should die from malaria given the available tools and systems.

The groundbreaking ceremony transforms that commitment into concrete action, building on the memorandum of understanding signed between the Nigerian Ministry of Health and Vestergaard in 2024.

Amar Ali, CEO of Vestergaard, highlighted that the facility embodies his company’s long-term commitment to partnership with Nigeria.

By directly investing in local PermaNet Dual production and backing the venture with their brand reputation, Vestergaard delivers world-class innovation while ensuring Nigerian families receive quality malaria protection.

Responsible enterprises must support African health leadership by investing in local systems, training professionals, and strengthening the capacity countries need to protect their own populations.

Martins Awofisayo, CEO of Harvestfield Industries, described the milestone as a critical step toward strengthening Nigeria’s health security and industrial capacity.

The partnership creates a reliable local source for world-class mosquito nets that will support nationwide malaria prevention efforts.

This investment demonstrates a commitment to saving lives, empowering communities, and building a sustainable manufacturing foundation for essential public health tools.

Prosper Ndayiragije, Managing Director of SNG Health, said the groundbreaking opens a new chapter in Nigeria’s malaria control efforts, underscoring the country’s unwavering commitment to defeating this devastating disease.

With strong support from the President’s Value Chain Initiative, the collaboration between Vestergaard and Harvestfield will manufacture Vestergaard’s latest innovation to ensure that no Nigerian family endures the malaria burden in the future.