The Federal Government says it spends about $150m annually on vaccine procurement, even as it expands malaria vaccination to more states.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Muyi Aina, disclosed this on Tuesday during the agency’s first quarterly media briefing for 2026 in Abuja.
He said funding for vaccines is sourced from federal allocations and development partners, particularly Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, noting, however, that donor support is declining.
“Countries are now expected to increase domestic financing as global donor resources continue to shrink,” Aina said.
The NPHCDA boss explained that vaccine financing covers procurement, outbreak response, and logistics, including syringes, waste management systems, incinerators, and cold chain equipment.
According to him, operational costs for nationwide immunisation delivery also constitute a significant portion of government spending.
On malaria control, Aina said Nigeria has expanded its malaria vaccine rollout from two pilot states, Bayelsa and Kebbi, to include Bauchi and Ondo, based on readiness assessments.
He noted that the malaria vaccine requires a four-dose schedule, which poses challenges for full compliance.
“What is unique about the malaria vaccine is that it requires four doses, and ensuring children return for all doses remains a key challenge,” Aina said.
He disclosed that Bayelsa recorded about 68,000 doses administered, Kebbi 153,000, Bauchi 66,000, and Ondo over 7,000 doses.
Aina added that dropouts between doses have prompted the government to strengthen tracking and follow-up systems.
Providing updates on vaccine stock and utilisation, Aina said about 600,000 doses are currently stored in the national cold chain system.
On coverage, the NPHCDA boss said a total of 984,559 children have received at least one dose in Kebbi and Bayelsa, while Ondo recorded about 166,342 children and Bauchi about 105,890.
“This brings the total number of children reached to almost 1.3 million,” he said.
Aina described vaccines as one of the safest and most cost-effective medical interventions.
According to him, vaccines are safer and cheaper than many medicines commonly used for treating diseases such as malaria.
He explained that vaccines undergo rigorous testing and safety evaluation before approval, with benefits far outweighing potential risks.
“Vaccines are highly effective in preventing diseases such as measles. Their success often leads to reduced visibility of such diseases in communities,” the NPHCDA boss said.
Aina added that while all medical interventions may have side effects, vaccines remain among the most thoroughly tested and safest preventive tools.
He called for sustained public trust in health workers and immunisation programmes, noting that the government is also investing in incentives and staffing to strengthen vaccine delivery.
Aina reiterated that vaccination programmes often go unnoticed despite significant investment.
Beyond immunisation, Aina said 48,372 women have accessed free maternal services nationwide, while about 2,497 others have benefited from obstetric fistula repair services coordinated through federal facilities and the National Health Insurance Authority.
He described the programme as critical to restoring dignity and improving the quality of life for affected women.
(NAN)
