IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH (IJHPR )

E-ISSN 2545-5737
P-ISSN 2695-2165
VOL. 10 NO. 6 2025
DOI: 10.56201/ijhpr.vol.10.no6.2025.pg11.20

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Use of Insect Growth Regulators: A Sustainable Approach to Mosquito Control in Nigeria – A Review

Okugbo, Osarhieme Tinuade and, Kamaludeen Sahabi

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Abstract

Mosquito-borne diseases remain a significant public health concern in Nigeria, with malaria alone contributing to high morbidity and mortality rates. Traditional vector control methods, which are primarily reliant on chemical insecticides, are encountering increasing challenges due to insecticide resistance, climate change, and non-target toxicity. This review critically examines the potential of insect growth regulators (IGRs), including both synthetic types and those derived from plants such as Neem (Azadirachta indica), as sustainable alternatives for mosquito control in Nigeria. IGRs disrupt the development of insects, including mosquitoes, by interfering with their hormonal processes, offering high species specificity and low toxicity to mammals, thereby presenting a promising eco-friendly approach to mosquito control. Laboratory and field studies illustrate the effectiveness of IGRs, particularly in targeting larval stages across diverse breeding habitats. However, challenges such as the high cost of IGRs, limited community awareness, and inadequate policy support from relevant bodies have impeded widespread adoption. This review highlights the mosquito burden in Nigeria, evaluates the limitations of conventional insecticides, and emphasises the need for updated regulatory frameworks, increased government investment, and public health education to facilitate the use of insect growth regulators (IGRs). It also examines the advantages and disadvantages of IGRs in national malaria control programmes. The paper further underscores the relevance of IGRs in the Nigerian context and discusses prospects for their broader application in sustainable vector control.

keywords:

Insect Growth Regulators, Mosquitoes, Public Health, Neem, Nigeria.

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