Introduction Nigeria accounts for 26% of global malaria cases. Identifying knowledge gaps is essential for improving policy formulation and prevention uptake. This study examines how sociodemographic factors influence malaria prevention knowledge. Methods We conducted a retrospective cross‐sectional study from the 2021 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey of 14,476 women, aged 15–49 years, focusing on individual‐level self‐reported responses on malaria preventive knowledge. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to explore the associations between demographic and socioeconomic variables and levels of malaria prevention knowledge. Results More respondents, 8493 (58.7%), did not believe that sleeping under a mosquito net was effective for malaria prevention. Respondents aged 40–49 years were less likely to be uninformed of malaria prevention methods (relative risk ratios RRRs = 0.66; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.53 and 0.82) compared to those less than 20 years. Higher education had a much lower likelihood of being uninformed (RRR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.22 and 0.39) with reference to no formal education. Similarly, respondents in the highest wealth quintile were less likely to lack knowledge (RRR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.25 and 0.57) than those in the poorest quintile. Geopolitical zonal inequalities existed, with residents in the South−South zone more likely to lack malaria prevention knowledge (RRR = 2.39; 95% CI: 1.59 and 3.60) than those in the North‐Central zone. Conclusion Knowledge of malaria prevention in Nigeria is shaped by age, education, wealth status, and geopolitical zone. This highlights the need for targeted education and outreach to address existing gaps and improve public health outcomes.
Edefo et al. (Thu,) studied this question.