Nigeria is expanding its malaria vaccination programme to additional states in a renewed effort to reduce the country’s high malaria burden, even as declining donor support and rising operational costs strain immunisation financing and logistics.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Muyi Aina, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the agency’s first quarterly media briefing for 2026.
He explained that funding for the programme currently comes from federal allocations and development partners, including Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, but warned that external assistance is gradually reducing.
“As global donor resources continue to decline, countries are now expected to increase domestic financing,” Aina said.
According to him, Nigeria’s malaria vaccine rollout has moved beyond its initial pilot phase in Bayelsa State and Kebbi State, and has now been extended to Bauchi State and Ondo State following readiness assessments.
He said the expansion is part of efforts to integrate malaria vaccination into routine immunisation in high-burden areas.
Aina noted that vaccine financing goes beyond procurement, covering logistics such as syringes, waste disposal systems, incinerators, and cold chain equipment needed for storage and distribution.
He also highlighted operational costs as a significant component of government investment in immunisation delivery.
While the programme is scaling up, health officials say the malaria vaccine presents challenges due to its four-dose schedule, which requires consistent follow-up to ensure full protection.
“What is unique about the malaria vaccine is that it requires four doses, and ensuring children return for all doses remains a key challenge,” Aina said.
He warned that dropouts between doses remain a concern, prompting efforts to strengthen tracking and follow-up systems across states.
According to him, nearly 1.3 million children have received at least one dose so far across implementing states, including about 984,559 in Kebbi and Bayelsa, over 166,342 in Ondo, and 105,890 in Bauchi.
He added that the national cold chain system currently holds more than 600,000 vaccine doses ready for distribution.
Aina also reiterated that vaccines remain among the safest and most cost-effective public health interventions, stressing that they undergo strict testing and regulatory approval before use.
He called for continued public trust in immunisation programmes and urged stronger support for health workers involved in vaccine delivery.
Despite progress, officials say sustaining the rollout will depend heavily on increased domestic funding, stronger logistics systems, and improved completion rates for the full vaccine schedule as Nigeria scales up protection against malaria.