3.1m Nigerian children lack access to basic vaccine – Budget Office

The Budget Office of the Federation has said that about 3.1 million Nigerian children lack access to basic vaccines. Dr. Tanimu Yakubu, Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, disclosed this in Abuja over the weekend at the inaugural session of the Immunization Financing Policy Roundtable Series with the theme, “Sustainable Vaccine Financing in […]

The Budget Office of the Federation has said that about 3.1 million Nigerian children lack access to basic vaccines.

Dr. Tanimu Yakubu, Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, disclosed this in Abuja over the weekend at the inaugural session of the Immunization Financing Policy Roundtable Series with the theme, “Sustainable Vaccine Financing in Nigeria’s Federal Arrangement.”

Dr Yakubu, who expressed concern over the inability of Nigeria to meet its vaccination demand, said the dialogue is aimed at tackling systemic issues that have historically weakened Nigeria’s efforts to achieve nationwide vaccine production.

“The effort is being led by the Budget Office of the Federation in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). It has attracted technical and strategic support from key partners, including the World Bank, Gavi, Results for Development (R4D), and the Vaccine Network for Disease Control.

“Despite dedicated national initiatives, current data shows that only 59 percent of Nigerian children aged 12-23 months are fully immunized—significantly below the World Health Organization’s target of 90 percent due to lack of domestic manufacturing capacity.

“Alarmingly, about 3.1 million children within that age group have not received any vaccines at all. This reality makes a strong case for a more resilient, predictable, and adequately funded immunisation structure that can effectively serve all regions under Nigeria’s federal system,” he said.

Dr. Tanimu said during discussions at the roundtable, stakeholders observed that continued dependence on external donor support leaves Nigeria’s immunization programmes vulnerable to funding disruptions, adding that it is time for a shift towards building a reliable domestic financing mechanism that draws from both national and subnational resources.