By Hassan Zaggi
The current vaccination status of children in Nigeria is not encouraging. For those who have monitored closely the efforts of the government and critical stakeholders including development partners over the years, the vaccination situation in the country is, indeed, worrisome and a cause for sleepless nights.
It is heart-breaking to hear that Nigeria currently bears the highest burden of Zero Dose (ZD) children the world over. This, undeniably, is a huge ‘temptation’ before the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government.
At a media dialogue in Yobe state few days ago, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), again, re-echoed an alarm that Nigeria has an estimated 2.1 million children who attained the age of one but have not been administered vaccine even once.
The media dialogue was organised by UNICEF in partnership with the Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB) of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation as part of activities to commemorate the 2025 World Immunization Day.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting one against harmful diseases before one comes into contact with them. Vaccine uses one’s body’s natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections and makes your immune system stronger. Vaccines also train one’s immune system to create antibodies, just as it does when it is exposed to a disease.
Clearly and simply put, vaccines are lifesavers. They provide the necessary foundation for children to thrive and live healthy lives. It has been proven that millions of lives have been saved by vaccines across the world. Therefore, it is dangerous for a child to skip any of the childhood vaccines.
Zero dose children and Nigeria’s situation
Speaking at the one-day media dialogue, the UNICEF’s Health Officer, Bashir Elegbede, explained that a zero-dose child is any child who has not received a single vaccine shot as per the national routine immunization schedules.
GAVI, according to him, defines a zero-dose child as an infant who has not received the first dose of DPT/PENTA vaccine by the end of their first year of life.
He disclosed that the global target is to reduce the number of children that are zero-dose by 25 per cent by 2025 and by 50 per cent by 2030.
He lamented that: “Globally, sadly, Nigeria has the highest burden of zero dose children. A number estimated to be 2.1 million as at 2023 (WUENIC 2023). With Borno and Yobe States having a disproportionate number of these children.”
Elegbede revealed that the under-one population in Nigeria is estimated at 8.7 million, with 2.1 million of them (24%) classified as Zero Dose. “This highlights that Nigeria bears the highest global burden of Zero Dose children,” he said.
He reiterated that reducing the number of zero-dose children—those who have not received any routine vaccinations—is crucial for improving public health outcomes in Nigeria.
“These children are mostly found in location affected by conflict, climate change, Covid-19 pandemic, geographic hard-to-reach, pastoral, urban outskirt and slums, including area with existing health systems challenge (supply, finance, monitoring, data quality, capacity, building, human resources, session interruptions etc.),” he stressed.
On the dangers of zero dose children, the UNICEF Health Officer further explained that, “children not immunized have been seen to have a relatively high risk of being infected and succumbing to Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) like Polio, Measles, Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM), Yellow Fever, and viral hepatitis amongst so many diseases numbering up to 30.”
Collaborative efforts
Acknowledging that improving vaccination rate in Nigeria and meeting the global expectation requires collaborative efforts, the UNICEF Health Officer said: “UNICEF, alongside stakeholders in the health sector have continued to work with government at both federal and state levels to reduce the number of zero dose children through improvement in routine immunization coverages and approaches that strengthen the health systems across Nigeria.
“UNICEF has supported Yobe State in vaccinating around 20,000 Zero Dose children with the administration of the DPT/PENTA vaccine in 2024.
“In Borno State, UNICEF’s intervention has successfully reached 145,000 ZD children across prioritized local government areas. Furthermore, an additional 165,000 Zero Dose children throughout the northeastern region were earmarked for Big Catch-Up campaigns which has since been completed, with the aim of maximizing their protection against vaccine preventable diseases. A total of 138,000 (95%) of these children were successfully vaccinated during the BCU conducted in March and April 2025.
On the other hand, the Emir of Damaturu, Shehu Hashimi II Ibn Umar Al-Amin El-Kanemi, reiterated the need for collaboration to improve the vaccination status in the country. He applauded the consistent effort of UNICEF in reducing the number of unvaccinated children in Nigeria.
Represented by the Waziri of Damaturu, Maisanda Lawan, the Emir vowed continued support for the vaccination drive across the state.
“The Emir remains committed to this cause and will continue to ensure that vaccines reach every community,” he said.
Speaking, the Yobe State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Lawan Gana, disclosed that over 26,000 children have been successfully vaccinated across the state.
He noted that the state is working hard and intensifying efforts to ensure that every eligible child, especially in underserved, hard-to-reach, and security-challenged areas is covered.
How Nigeria can meet global target
For Nigeria to meet the global targets, the President Tinubu-led government through the Federal Ministry of Health must intensify its supervisory role and ensure that states commit resources to vaccinating eligible children.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must show visible interest in this. As a legacy, he must put the needed structures and policies in place for the achievement of these global targets. He will definitely be held responsible and accountable if the country fails to achieve the targets.
President Tinubu is known to be a strategist and a mobilizer of people to achieve a course, therefore, he must do it again, this time around, to ensure there is no zero dose children in the country, thereby leading the country to achieving the global targets. This, he must do in a hurry.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, must also bring to bear his experience and expertise on this. He dramatically improved Nigeria’s vaccination rate during his days as the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) when Polio was at its peak in Nigeria. He needs to ignite and revamp his structures to help Nigeria to achieve the global targets by 2025 and 2030.
Role of State Governments
The 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have a critical role to play in this, especially the states with high number of zero dose children. They must show considerable commitment and interest in ensuring that all eligible children in their states are captured.
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), community leaders, parents and caregivers must support government efforts by mobilizing communities and their eligible children to uptake the vaccines.
