Equatorial Guinea has launched its National Malaria Elimination Strategy – Vision 2030, marking a decisive step in the country’s public health agenda. The roadmap builds on two decades of sustained intervention on Bioko Island, reinforcing how partnerships between governments, global health organizations and energy companies can deliver measurable social impact. This next phase of the strategy strives to eradicate malaria nationwide by 2030, with a joint fund of $116 million allocated by government ($52 million) and international partners ($64 million) to achieve this goal.
The launch follows international recognition of the Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project, supported for more than two decades by ConocoPhillips and global health partners. ConocoPhillips was recently honored with the Corporate Social Responsibility Project of the Year Award at African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 in South Africa, acknowledging the Bioko Island project’s long-term contribution to malaria reduction, stronger health systems and community well-being in Equatorial Guinea.
“Across Africa, energy producers are demonstrating that development must go hand in hand with social investment. The success of the Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project shows how industry partnerships can transform communities. By combining long-term investment, strong government leadership and international collaboration, Equatorial Guinea is proving that Africa’s energy sector can drive both economic growth and public health progress,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC).
From Bioko Success to Nationwide Rollout
Since its launch more than two decades ago, the Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project has delivered measurable improvements in public health across the island. According to figures presented by Mitoha Ondo Ayecaba, Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Health, Social Welfare and Health Infrastructure during the launch ceremony, malaria prevalence among children aged 2 to 14 years has fallen by 83%, while transmission rates have declined by 78%. In 2025, malaria prevalence on Bioko reached a historic low of 7.2%, underscoring the sustained impact of prevention programs, surveillance systems and targeted community interventions.
The program has also delivered broader health benefits. Infant mortality among children under five has fallen by 78%, while anemia among pregnant women has been reduced by 77%. At the same time, sustained vector control campaigns have eliminated two of the three primary malaria-transmitting mosquito species on the island.
These achievements have been made possible through long-term collaboration between the Equatorial Guinean government, MCD Global Health and energy sector partners such as ConocoPhillips. Over the past two decades, more than $130 million has been invested into malaria elimination programs on Bioko Island alone. With malaria now at historically low levels on the island, the government is scaling the model nationwide.
A Testament to the Role of Energy Partnerships
The Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project is a clear example of how public-private partnerships in the energy sector can unlock more than just energy development. Home to some of the country’s biggest energy projects, the island showcases the value of responsible energy investment in strengthening social protection and improving the quality of life across energy-producing countries.
Bioko Island features the Punta Europa facility – a major regional energy hub operated by ConocoPhillips through its subsidiary Marathon E.G. The facility monetizes natural gas from both domestic and regional basins, featuring a 3.7 million-ton-per-annum LNG plant and a methanol plant. A central component of the country’s broader Gas Mega Hub strategy, Punta Europa is set to play an even greater role in increasing Equatorial Guinea’s energy exports, with a slate of new production sharing and cross-border agreements signed in 2026. ConocoPhillips signed production sharing contracts for offshore Blocks B/4 and EG-27 this year, unlocking $9 billion in capital to feed new volumes into Punta Europa. Equatorial Guinea also recently signed an agreement with Nigeria to develop infrastructure capable of transporting Nigerian gas to the Punta Europa facility, while an agreement signed with Cameroon paves the way for additional volumes.
As energy activity on Bioko Island continues to grow, the role of industry partnerships in supporting social development is becoming increasingly evident. The National Malaria Elimination Strategy highlights how energy investment can extend beyond infrastructure and production to deliver lasting improvements in public health and community resilience. Achieving the Vision 2030 target would mark a major public health milestone while reinforcing how responsible energy development can support broader progress across Africa.
Africa Fact: In 1246 AD Dunama II of Kanem-Borno exchanged embassies with Al-Mustansir, the king of Tunis. He sent the North African court a costly present, which apparently included a giraffe. An old chronicle noted that the rare animal “created a sensation in Tunis”.
Runway Darling
South Africa is placed 14th in a list of 21 countries ranked by international companies as top prospective investment destinations for 2012 to 2014, according to the 2012 World Investment Report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad).