The Federal Government has trained scientists drawn from key research institutions across the country on mRNA technology for malaria vaccines, as part of efforts to boost local production of critical vaccines in Nigeria.
The training was conducted under the Enhancing Local Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management of Malaria Health Commodities Project, being implemented through a collaboration between the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), with support from the World Bank IMPACT Project.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening national capacity in biotechnology and vaccine development, with a focus on mRNA design, synthesis, formulation, delivery systems and quality control.
Speaking at the workshop in Abuja, the Partnerships and Ecosystem Enablement Lead at PVAC, Mohammed Balarabe, said the capacity-building programme is part of ongoing efforts to advance local vaccine manufacturing, promote health system resilience and prepare Nigeria’s biopharmaceutical workforce for future pandemics.
According to him, the programme is equipping Nigerian scientists with the sophisticated skills required to innovate and work with advanced technologies, ensuring the country’s health security and reducing reliance on external sources. He noted that Nigeria must move from being reactive to being fully prepared to respond to emerging health threats.
Balarabe explained that the intensive training, facilitated by the Advanced Biologics and Vaccine Development (ABVD), featured hands-on laboratory sessions and opportunities for collaborative learning among participants.
He added that PVAC, mandated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is focused on unlocking the healthcare value chain to attract investment into the sector, particularly the pharmaceutical industry, while also building a skilled workforce capable of driving innovation in emerging health technologies such as mRNA.
In his presentation, Dr Olawale Salami told participants that understanding how the immune system interacts with vaccines is critical to achieving long-term immunity, especially in malaria vaccine development.
He noted that one of the key challenges in malaria control is the transition of parasites from merozoites to gametocytes, a process that presents opportunities for vaccine-based interventions aimed at blocking transmission.
“Our immune system works in consonance with vaccines to provide protective immunity,” he said. “As we think about malaria vaccine development, it is important to understand how the immune system collaborates with the vaccine to achieve long-term protection. Several studies have shown that this interaction is essential for sustained immunity.”
A representative of InSight Health Consulting Limited, the project management consultant implementing the programme on behalf of PVAC, Mubarak Ahmed, told The Guardian that the training brought together professionals from molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, parasitology, veterinary medicine and related fields to equip them with practical knowledge on the use of mRNA technology for vaccine production.
Ahmed noted that Nigeria has a clear vision to produce vaccines locally, adding that the training represents one of the first concrete steps by the current administration toward local manufacturing of health commodities. He stressed that vaccines remain critical in preventing malaria, alongside other interventions such as long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and related preventive measures in the long term.
