Diversity and Prevalence of Mosquito Species in Lokoja, Kogi- State

Mosquitoes are major vectors of diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and filariasis,
posing significant public health challenges in Nigeria. This study assessed the diversity,
prevalence, and distribution of mosquito species in Lokoja, Kogi state. Mosquitoes were
collected from selected aquatic habitats across different locations in the study area and
identified morphologically using standard entomological keys. Data were analysed using
descriptive statistics to determine relative abundance, while two- way ANOVA was
employed to test for significant differences in mosquito species distribution. Samples were
collected from breeding sites within some selected locations from May to June, 2025. One
thousand mosquito larvae belonging to three genera, Aedes, Anopheles and Culex were
collected and five species of mosquito were identified comprising; Aedes aegypti 242
(24.2%), Aedes koreicus 222 (22.2%), Culex pipiens 212 (21.2%), Anopheles gambiae 164
(16.4%), and Aedes japonicus 160 (16.0). Water samples were collected from four different
major breeding sites such as discarded tyre 440 (44.0%), rice farm 284 (28.4%), roadside
drain 154 (15.4%) and ponds 122 (12.2%). The physicochemical parameters were all within
the favourable limits for mosquito breeding. In conclusion, it is recommended that targeted
vector control strategies, including environmental management and community sensitization,
be strengthened to reduce mosquito-borne disease burden in the region.