The Federal Government has secured about $500 million in funding from the global vaccine alliance, Gavi, to strengthen routine immunisation, expand primary healthcare services and improve sustainable vaccine financing across the country over the next five years.
The funding was approved under the Gavi 6.0 programme following high-level talks between the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and Gavi Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Sania Nishtar, in Abuja.
According to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the funding package will support Nigeria’s efforts to accelerate routine immunisation, sustain polio eradication, expand Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, strengthen primary healthcare services and establish a more sustainable framework for financing vaccines.
Welcoming the development, Pate said Gavi’s introduction of a predictable five-year funding envelope would enable Nigeria to plan more effectively and ensure that life-saving vaccines reach millions of children and vulnerable populations.
“The approximately $500 million allocation will enable Nigeria to plan more effectively and deliver life-saving vaccines to more children and vulnerable populations,” the minister said.
He noted that the support aligns with the Federal Government’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which prioritises improved access to quality healthcare and expanded immunisation coverage nationwide.
The minister also highlighted the impact of ongoing reforms in the primary healthcare sector, revealing that quarterly visits to primary healthcare centres have increased from about 10 million in 2023 to over 45 million, an indication of growing public confidence in government health facilities.
Pate urged state governments to complement the Federal Government’s efforts by increasing investments in routine immunisation and primary healthcare, stressing that stronger collaboration at all levels of government is essential to reducing child mortality and preventing vaccine-preventable diseases.
He further commended Gavi and its development partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the World Bank and the Gates Foundation, for their continued support to Nigeria’s health sector, describing the partnership as critical to achieving universal health coverage.
The minister also welcomed the United States’ $600 million pledge to Gavi, saying the commitment reflects sustained global confidence in immunisation despite increasing pressure on international health financing.
Nigeria remains one of Gavi’s largest partner countries, with the alliance supporting the nation’s immunisation programme for more than two decades.
The latest funding is expected to deepen efforts to improve childhood vaccination coverage, sustain the country’s polio-free status and strengthen the resilience of the primary healthcare system as the government pursues its broader health sector reform agenda.
