President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned the Lagos Vaccine Cold and Dry Storage Hub to serve over 90 million Nigerians across the South-West and South-South geopolitical zones by 2035.

Speaking yesterday at the vaccine hub located inside the Federal Central Medical Stores, Oshodi, Tinubu, said the facility, funded through a World Bank International Development Association (IDA) Credit under the IMPACT Project, is designed to close infrastructure gaps and ensuring that quality health services reach every Nigerian community.

The President, who was represented by the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, said for many years, Nigeria’s vaccine supply chain depended on one National Strategic Cold Store and six zonal stores – a structure that could no longer adequately serve the country’s growing population and expanding immunisation needs.

Tinubu said in response, the Federal Government, through the NPHCDA, developed the Three-Hub National Immunisation Supply Chain Model-modern megastores in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano, designed to decentralise vaccine storage and strengthen distribution nationwide.

He said the Lagos Hub, which will serve the Southwest and South South zones becomes the first to be commissioned, while the Abuja Hub, which will serve the North-Central and South-East zones, is currently under construction and the Kano Hub for the North-West and North-East zones will commence later this year.

Tinubu said when completed, these three hubs will provide Nigeria with a modern national vaccine distribution network built for the future, to ensure that every Nigerian child, regardless of location, has access to safe and potent vaccines.

“This achievement demonstrates what is possible when government and development partners work together with a shared purpose. The Federal Government provided the vision and leadership. The Minister of Health and Social Welfare provided policy direction. The World Bank, through the IMPACT Project, provided critical financing, while Gavi, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization contributed technical expertise and global partnership support,” he explained.

Vaccine Cold Chain Logistics Consultant at UNICEF, Emediong Ekere, commended the efforts of the government in strengthening Nigeria’s vaccine storage and distribution system with the introduction of a pharma-grade cold chain warehouse expected to improve immunisation services across the country.

She said the development would optimise cold chain storage solutions for vaccines and other medical commodities, while improving efficiency in the distribution of immunisation materials nationwide.

According to Ekere, UNICEF strongly believes the facility will strengthen storage capacity for vaccines and dry commodities, with the impact extending to health centres, Local Government Area cold stores and other healthcare facilities providing immunisation services.

National Programme Manager of the IMPACT project, Dr. Amina Abdul-One Muhammed, stressed that for decades, Nigeria’s vaccine supply chain rested on a structure built for a smaller country with fewer demands.

She explained that the Lagos hub is the primary vaccine storage and distribution facility for the South-West and South-South geopolitical zones – covering Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.

According to her, by 2035, this catchment will hold an estimated 90.7 million people, adding that every childhood vaccination, supplemental immunisation activity and emergency response involving vaccines in this region will depend on what leaves this building.