Over 1.2 Million Children Receive Malaria Vaccine Across Four Nigerian States As Rollout Expands Nationwide
Over 1.2 million children receive malaria vaccine across four Nigerian states as rollout expands nationwide More than 1.2 million children have received doses of the malaria vaccine across four Nigerian states—Kebbi, Bayelsa, Ondo, and Bauchi as the country scales up its immunisation programme to curb malaria-related deaths among children under five. Nigeria has recorded a major milestone in its malaria prevention drive, with over 1.2 million children vaccinated across four states following the phased rollout of the malaria vaccine. The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, disclosed this during a quarterly media briefing in Abuja, noting that the programme has now expanded beyond the initial pilot states.
According to him, the vaccine rollout began in Kebbi and Bayelsa selected due to their high malaria burden and has since been extended to Ondo and Bauchi states based on readiness assessments and disease prevalence patterns.
- Kebbi & Bayelsa: 984,559 children received at least one dose
- Ondo State: 166,342 children vaccinated
- Bauchi State: 105,890 children vaccinated
- Total: Over 1.2 million children reached nationwide
Health authorities noted that although uptake has been encouraging, ensuring children complete all four required doses remains a challenge, as drop-off between vaccination stages has been recorded. Officials say the vaccine requires four doses for full effectiveness, and efforts are ongoing to improve follow-up systems and ensure full immunisation coverage.
The NPHCDA says the rollout is part of broader investments in Nigeria’s primary healthcare system, including:
- Expansion of vaccine cold-chain infrastructure
- Solar-powered refrigeration systems for rural facilities
- Training and retraining of frontline health workers
- Improved immunisation outreach and tracking systems
Officials also highlighted increased funding for vaccine procurement and logistics to sustain nationwide immunisation efforts.
Nigeria remains one of the countries most affected by malaria globally, particularly among children under five. The introduction of the malaria vaccine is expected to complement existing preventive measures such as mosquito nets and anti-malarial treatments.Health authorities say the vaccine rollout will continue expanding to additional states in line with national immunisation plans. The government is also working to improve completion rates for all required doses and strengthen routine immunisation systems.
