…as Nigeria Records Progress in routine immunisation

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child is protected against vaccine-preventable diseases, even as new data shows steady improvements in routine immunisation coverage across the country.

This assurance was given at the Second Quarter 2026 Review Meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee (NTLC) on Primary Health Care Delivery, where federal health officials, traditional rulers and development partners assessed progress in routine immunisation, polio eradication and primary healthcare services across the 19 northern states.

Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, disclosed that findings from the latest Mini Demographic and Health Survey (Mini DHS) revealed notable improvements in Nigeria’s immunisation performance between 2025 and 2026.

He stated that coverage for the second dose of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV2) recorded an average increase of about 10.5 percentage points nationwide within one year, describing the improvement as remarkable despite the country’s remaining challenges.

“We are still not where we want to be, but this is a significant leap within a short period,” Aina said.
Aina added that coverage for the third dose of the Pentavalent vaccine (Penta 3), which protects children against five deadly diseases, also rose from approximately 53 per cent to 54.5 per cent.
While acknowledging the progress, Aina noted that significant disparities still exist among states.

He said, “Some states recorded increases of between 15 and 20 percentage points, while others continue to struggle, particularly in reaching hard-to-reach communities affected by insecurity and poor access,” .

Aina said the improvement was the result of sustained investments by the Federal Government, collaboration with state governments, development partners, traditional institutions and frontline health workers to strengthen routine immunisation and protect children against vaccine-preventable diseases.

According to him, while many states have recorded significant improvements in IPV coverage, some continue to face challenges that require stronger collaboration among federal and state governments and communities.

He said the Federal Government had also invested heavily in strengthening Nigeria’s vaccine cold chain system to ensure vaccines remained potent from storage to the point of administration.

“It is one thing to have vaccines and another to ensure they reach communities in a potent and well-managed state,” he said.
He disclosed that nearly 80,000 health workers had been trained in vaccine management, while immunisation officers continued to receive regular refresher training.

Aina noted that the NPHCDA has deployed technology to monitor vaccine storage temperatures across cold chain facilities and warehouses to safeguard vaccine quality nationwide.

He observed that more than 1,700 solar direct-drive refrigerators had been distributed across the country in the past year, alongside thousands of cold boxes, vaccine carriers and other cold chain equipment used during routine immunisation and outreach services.

Aina recalled that President Bola Tinubu on May 29 inaugurated the Lagos Vaccine Hub, which serves the South-West and South-South geopolitical zones, describing it as a major milestone in strengthening the country’s vaccine storage and distribution capacity.

The NPHCDA boss also raised concern over the growing challenge of vaccine misinformation, describing it as a global threat capable of undermining immunisation gains.

Aina urged the media to support efforts to combat misinformation by verifying health information before publication and ensuring that communities received accurate and credible information.

He commended traditional rulers for their continued role in addressing vaccine hesitancy, noting that members of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee regularly intervened whenever cases of vaccine refusal were reported in communities.

According to him, traditional leaders engage families that reject vaccination, address misconceptions and encourage them to accept life-saving vaccines.

Aina emphasized that Nigeria remained free of the wild poliovirus but had recorded seven cases of circulating variant poliovirus (cVPV) adding that the cases were linked to pockets of low population immunity resulting from inadequate routine immunisation coverage, particularly in hard-to-reach, nomadic and underserved communities.

“We remain free of the wild poliovirus, and we are happy about that. What we have are seven cases of circulating variant poliovirus.
He expressed government’s commitment to interrupting the transmission of the circulating variant poliovirus by the end of 2027.

He said, “We have mounted emergency response campaigns in the affected locations and are working hard to reach every missed child, including those in nomadic settlements and transit communities.We believe we will contain the outbreak and remain on track to interrupt transmission of the circulating variant poliovirus by the end of 2027”.

Aina highlighted the importance of  sustained collaboration among governments, traditional institutions, development partners, health workers and the media in  improving routine immunisation coverage, tackling vaccine hesitancy and protecting every Nigerian child from vaccine-preventable diseases.

He observed that President Bola Tinubu remains committed to ensuring that no Nigerian child is left behind, stressing that innovative approaches are being deployed to reach children in insecure and underserved communities.

“We are working with traditional leaders, state governments, local governments and development partners to reach every missed child and ensure all children are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases,” he added.

Speaking at the meeting,  Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate noted that Nigeria has continued to sustain its wild polio-free status, while expanding primary healthcare infrastructure and improving service utilisation despite difficult operating conditions.
 Pate highlighted improvements in skilled birth attendance and accountability mechanisms within the health sector, saying the country was moving in the right direction.

The minister, however, stressed that although the Federal Government was investing heavily in primary healthcare, constitutional responsibility for service delivery remained with states and local governments.

He said, “The Federal Government is intervening because it is important for the health and productivity of Nigerians, but states must complement these efforts through adequate funding and stronger commitment,”.

Paate acknowledged that Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has committed 500 million dollars in support of Nigeria’s immunisation programme between 2026 and 2030.

He explained that about $345 million dollars of the funding would support vaccine procurement, while additional resources would strengthen primary healthcare infrastructure and service delivery.

The minister emphasized that, the commitment demonstrates international confidence in Nigeria’s health sector reforms despite growing global financial constraints.

He observed that although vaccines are administered free of charge to Nigerians, they are financed through a combination of donor support and Federal Government counterpart funding.

“They are free for users, but they are not free to provide. Vaccines are valuable investments that save lives and prevent diseases,” .

The minister called on state governments to increase domestic investment in healthcare, warning that Nigeria could not depend indefinitely on donor funding.

“We cannot have sovereignty by relying on someone else’s money. Governments at all levels must invest in the health of our people,” he stressed.

The minister commended the Sultan of Sokoto for establishing the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee in 2009, describing it as one of Nigeria’s strongest community health platforms.

Pate noted that over the past 17 years, the committee had convened more than 60 quarterly meetings, contributing significantly to increased immunisation uptake, improved maternal and child healthcare, nutrition services and disease prevention across northern Nigeria.

“Millions of children have been saved because of the interventions championed by this committee,” he said.

The minister commended traditional rulers for using their influence to build public confidence in immunisation programmes and mobilise communities to embrace healthcare services.

“The federal government deeply values this partnership because lasting health outcomes are achieved not only through sound government policies but also through trusted community leadership,” he stated.

Also speaking, the representing the Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee, the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Muhammadu Samaila Mera, reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to sustaining progress in immunisation and primary healthcare.

He described the committee’s journey over the past 17 years as one marked by resilience, collaboration and measurable success in combating vaccine hesitancy, improving maternal and child health and strengthening community disease surveillance.

“Polio eradication remains our foremost non-negotiable priority. We have come too far to falter now,” he declared.

The Emir pledged that traditional rulers would continue mobilising communities, addressing misinformation and ensuring every eligible child receives life-saving vaccines.

He noted that the committee’s responsibilities extend beyond immunisation to promoting nutrition, malaria control, disease surveillance and maternal healthcare.

Mera also expressed support for the First Lady’s National Community Food Bank Programme, describing it as a timely intervention against food insecurity, while assuring that traditional institutions would support its implementation.

The Emir, however, identified insecurity as one of the biggest obstacles to healthcare delivery in several parts of northern Nigeria.

He stated that attacks and kidnappings continue to restrict health workers’ access to vulnerable communities, making it difficult to reach children and pregnant women with essential health services.

He urged Nigerians to support government efforts to restore peace and security, insisting that insecurity must not become an excuse for abandoning vulnerable communities.

“Our responsibility goes beyond preserving culture and tradition. We are custodians of the wellbeing of our people and must continue promoting healthy behaviours, supporting health workers and building trust between communities and government,” added.