Nigeria is scaling up its malaria vaccination programme to more states in a renewed effort to tackle one of the country’s deadliest diseases, even as declining donor support and rising costs pose fresh challenges.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Muyi Aina, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the agency’s first quarterly media briefing for 2026.
According to him, funding for the programme currently comes from both government allocations and development partners, particularly Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. However, he warned that international support is gradually reducing, placing greater responsibility on local funding.
“Countries are now expected to increase domestic financing as global donor resources continue to shrink,” Aina said.
The malaria vaccine rollout, which began as a pilot in Bayelsa and Kebbi states, has now expanded to Bauchi and Ondo after successful readiness assessments. The move is part of a broader plan to integrate malaria vaccination into routine immunisation in high-burden areas.
Aina explained that funding goes beyond purchasing vaccines, covering logistics such as syringes, cold chain storage, waste disposal systems, and operational costs required to deliver vaccines nationwide.
Despite the expansion, health officials say the programme faces a key challenge: ensuring children complete all four required doses of the malaria vaccine.
“What is unique about the malaria vaccine is that it requires four doses, and ensuring children return for all doses remains a major challenge,” he noted.
To address this, authorities are strengthening tracking and follow-up systems to reduce dropouts between doses.
So far, the programme has recorded steady progress. Nearly 985,000 children have received at least one dose in Kebbi and Bayelsa, while Ondo has reached over 166,000 children and Bauchi more than 105,000—bringing the total to almost 1.3 million children nationwide.
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Aina also revealed that over 600,000 vaccine doses are currently stored in the national cold chain system for ongoing distribution.
He described vaccines as one of the most effective and affordable public health tools, stressing that they undergo rigorous testing before approval.
“Vaccines are much safer and cheaper than most medicines used for malaria treatment,” he said.
He called for continued public trust in immunisation programmes, noting that government investments in staffing and incentives are being strengthened to support delivery.
While the expansion marks a significant step in Nigeria’s fight against malaria, officials say sustaining progress will depend heavily on increased domestic funding, efficient logistics, and ensuring that children complete the full vaccination schedule.
