The Federal Government says it spends about 150 million dollars annually on vaccine procurement, even as it expands malaria vaccination to more states.
Dr. Muyi Aina, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), disclosed this on Tuesday during the agency’s first quarterly media briefing for 2026 in Abuja.
Aina explained that vaccine funding is sourced from federal allocations and development partners, particularly Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, noting that donor support has begun to decline.
“Countries are now expected to increase domestic financing as global donor resources continue to shrink,” he said.
He stated that vaccine financing goes beyond procurement to include outbreak response and logistics such as syringes, waste management systems, incinerators, and cold chain equipment. He added that operational costs for nationwide immunisation delivery also account for a significant portion of government spending.
On malaria control, Aina said Nigeria has expanded its malaria vaccine rollout from the initial pilot states of Bayelsa and Kebbi to Bauchi and Ondo, based on readiness assessments.
He noted that the malaria vaccine requires a four-dose schedule, which poses compliance challenges.
“What is unique about the malaria vaccine is that it requires four doses, and ensuring children return for all doses remains a key challenge,” he said.
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Providing updates, Aina said Bayelsa had recorded about 68,000 doses administered, Kebbi 153,000, Bauchi 66,000, and Ondo over 7,000 doses. He added that dropouts between doses have prompted the government to strengthen tracking and follow-up systems.
On vaccine stock and utilisation, he disclosed that about 600,000 doses are currently stored in the national cold chain system.
In terms of coverage, Aina said 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.
Describing vaccines as one of the safest and most cost-effective medical interventions, Aina noted that they are cheaper and more effective than many treatments commonly used for 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,” he added.
Aina 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.
He observed that vaccination programmes often go unnoticed despite the significant resources committed to them.
Beyond immunisation, he revealed that 48,372 women have accessed free maternal health 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 intervention as critical to restoring dignity and improving the quality of life for affected women.
