The Government of Nigeria has launched a nationwide integrated vaccination campaign targeting over 106 million people across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The initiative aims to deliver measles–rubella, polio, and HPV vaccines, closing immunity gaps and protecting children and adolescents from life-threatening diseases. The campaign was officially flagged off in Abuja by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and is led by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Gates Foundation, UNICEF, and other partners.
The 2025 Integrated Measles–Rubella and Polio Campaign targets children aged 9 months to 14 years for measles–rubella vaccination and children under 5 years for the novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2). Additional interventions include seasonal malaria chemoprevention for children aged 3–59 months, treatments for neglected tropical diseases for persons aged 5 years and above, and HPV vaccination for girls aged 9 years. Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, highlighted the campaign as a landmark moment for Nigeria’s health system, emphasizing the role of leadership, community engagement, and partnerships in reaching every child.
Education and health officials underscored the broader impact of the campaign. Minister of Education representatives noted that protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases ensures better school attendance and academic performance. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health emphasized the integration of vaccines with malaria and NTD interventions as a way to reinforce routine immunization, strengthen the health system, and contribute to national health security.
The campaign’s launch united key stakeholders, including government officials, international partners, civil society organizations, and traditional and religious leaders, all of whom pledged to support community mobilization for vaccination. WHO Deputy Country Representative Dr. Alex Chimbaru described the campaign as a defining step toward health security for Nigeria and Africa, reflecting national leadership and collective commitment to protect every child.
WHO provided technical support across all stages of the campaign, including developing training manuals, data collection tools, and activity plans, facilitating national and state-level training, and deploying technical assistants to each state to monitor implementation. Experts from WHO’s country, regional, and headquarters offices actively supported real-time monitoring to optimize performance and address challenges promptly.
The campaign is structured in two phases over a 10-day vaccination period, followed by a two-day mop-up. Phase 1, covering northern states and Oyo, integrates measles–rubella and polio vaccines, while Kano, Yobe, and Oyo will also implement NTD and malaria interventions alongside vaccination. Southern states will conduct stand-alone measles–rubella campaigns in early 2026. Routine immunization antigens will also be available in zero-dose local government areas. This large-scale initiative supports Nigeria’s commitment to the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
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