The Vaccine Network for Disease Control has warned that Nigeria’s hard-won gains in immunization coverage risk reversal if urgent steps are not taken to establish a sustainable vaccine financing framework, despite recent progress by the Federal Government.
Speaking during a press briefing to mark World Health Day, Chika Offor, Executive Director of the Network, confirmed that the Federal Government had, by December 2024, released the long-awaited outstanding vaccine funds for 2022 and 2023, as well as 25% of the 2024 budgeted allocation.
“We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, for prioritizing immunization and showing commitment to protecting lives,” Offor said.
She noted that the government’s 2025 allocation of ₦231.7 billion for immunization, including malaria vaccines and vaccine tracking, marked a significant milestone toward universal health coverage.
However, she warned that “the sustainability of these gains is now at risk” due to the withdrawal of major donor funding from the United States and shrinking fiscal space amidst competing national priorities.
“If we do not act quickly, we risk reversing the progress made in 2024. Vaccine shortages could place millions of Nigerian children in jeopardy. These children are not statistics, they are real lives, with names and dreams,” Offor stressed.
She called on the Federal Government to make vaccine financing a first-line charge in the national budget, ensuring timely and predictable disbursement. She also urged state and local governments to allocate dedicated vaccine budgets and establish accountability mechanisms.
Nigeria, she noted, remains one of the countries with the highest number of zero-dose children who have never received any routine vaccine. Despite gains, including 71% coverage in HPV vaccination and over 30 million children protected from polio, significant gaps persist.
“The immunization journey is not over. We need an urgent and coordinated response from all stakeholders, government at all levels, civil society, and the private sector to secure the future of our children,” she said.
Offor emphasized that immunization is not just a health imperative but a smart economic investment that saves lives and reduces long-term healthcare costs.
As Nigeria works toward strengthening primary healthcare delivery, the Vaccine Network reiterated its support for President Tinubu’s renewed push to invest in primary healthcare centres across the country.
“A well-equipped PHC system means better vaccine access, fewer zero-dose children, and improved health outcomes. The time to act is now,” Offor concluded.
Meanwhile, Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan, Nigeria Coordinator, for Prevent Epidemic/Immunization Programme of Global Health Advocacy Incubator, said the urgent need for a sustainable immunization financing framework in Nigeria has once again been brought to the fore, with stakeholders warning of dire health consequences if vaccine funding is not prioritized.
He emphasized that while it is clear vaccines save lives, the lack of a consistent funding mechanism threatens progress in achieving better health outcomes.
He called on the government to designate vaccine financing as a first-line charge item in the national budget, rather than subjecting it to regular budgetary delays. Acknowledging the support of international partners like Gavi, he stressed that it is time for Nigeria to increase domestic investment in immunization. “As the CEO of the Vaccine Network for Disease Control rightly said, the time to act is now,” he concluded.
