Nigeria needs $1bn in five years to secure vaccines, says primary health agency

Muyi Aina, executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), says Nigeria needs $1 billion to secure vaccines for its population.

Aina spoke in Abuja on Wednesday at the multi-stakeholders’ technical workshop on optimising a sustainable immunisation financing model in Nigeria 2.0.

Nigeria’s immunisation financing model is built on a collaborative approach involving the federal, state, and local governments, with the federal government taking the lead in funding routine immunisations.

Aina said although significant progress has been made in immunisation coverage, financing remained a critical bottleneck.

He said only 21 percent of the allocated vaccine funds for 2024 have been released, raising concerns about Nigeria’s ability to maintain its immunisation momentum.

“We need one billion dollars over the next five years to secure vaccines for our population,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“But with less than a quarter of this year’s budget released, we are at risk of reversing hard-won gains.”

Aina said despite the funding gaps in 2024, three million zero-dose children were reached, 14 million girls were vaccinated against cervical cancer, 91 million vaccine doses were administered, and over 10,000 cold chain units are now operational across the country.

He said that immunisation was not solely the responsibility of the federal government, but a national obligation.

“Immunisation is a national duty—for our children, our families, and the future of our health system,” he said.

He said that the government is making efforts to ensure that available resources are allocated more efficiently and directed toward primary health care and preventive services.

He added that to close future funding gaps, the country is exploring alternative revenue sources, including specific taxes and other innovative financing mechanisms.