Nigeria is grappling with a deepening immunisation gap, with an estimated 2.1 million children yet to receive a single routine vaccine—placing the country among those with the highest burden of zero-dose children globally.
This alarming figure, released by World Health Organization and UNICEF, highlights a critical public health challenge, as millions of children remain vulnerable to preventable diseases. In addition, about 2.3 million children in Nigeria are under-immunised, having started but not completed their vaccination schedules, according to estimates by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
The situation is further compounded by low coverage rates. Data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey shows that only about one-third of children aged 12 to 23 months are fully immunised, leaving a significant proportion exposed to diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, and meningitis.
Health experts warn that the consequences are severe. At least 41 per cent of under-five deaths in Nigeria are linked to vaccine-preventable diseases, while unvaccinated children account for nearly 39 per cent of these deaths—translating to an estimated 337,000 child fatalities annually.
Speaking during the 2026 World Immunisation Week 2026, themed “For every generation, vaccines work,” Save the Children Nigeria called for urgent and coordinated action to close the immunisation gap, particularly in underserved urban and peri-urban communities in Lagos and Kano states.
The organisation noted that Nigeria now ranks as the country with the second-highest number of zero-dose children worldwide, underscoring systemic challenges such as limited access to healthcare services, weak follow-up systems, misinformation, and harmful social norms.
“Vaccines have protected families for generations, yet millions of Nigerian children are still missing out on this basic right,” said Duncan Harvey, Country Director of Save the Children Nigeria. “Reaching zero-dose and under-immunised children requires strong health systems, trusted community engagement, and sustained investment.”
Immunisation remains one of the most cost-effective public health interventions globally, saving millions of lives each year. However, in Nigeria, overlapping challenges—including poverty, malnutrition, poor sanitation, and weak primary healthcare systems—continue to limit vaccine uptake and increase children’s vulnerability to severe illness.
To address these gaps, Save the Children Nigeria is implementing the Better Opportunities for Optimal Services and Targeted Immunisation (BOOST) Project in Lagos and Kano states. The four-year initiative, funded by GlaxoSmithKline, aims to improve vaccine access, strengthen community demand, and support government efforts to reduce the number of zero-dose and under-immunised children.
A beneficiary of the programme in Lagos, identified as Mama Ismail, described the impact of the intervention, urging other mothers to vaccinate their children for better health outcomes.
As part of activities marking World Immunisation Week, the organisation has urged government and stakeholders to strengthen routine immunisation systems, improve data tracking, support frontline health workers, tackle misinformation, and increase funding for primary healthcare.
With nearly 20 million lives already saved in Africa through measles vaccination since 2000, according to the WHO African Region, health advocates stress that scaling up immunisation efforts in Nigeria is essential to safeguarding the next generation.
The call to action is clear: without urgent investment and inclusive strategies, millions of Nigerian children will remain at risk of diseases that vaccines can prevent.
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