VACCINATION has spared the world untold suffering. Children who miss routine immunisation remain exposed to diseases that can maim or kill. Yet resistance to this life-saving intervention persists in Nigeria, particularly in the North, fuelled by misinformation, distrust and neglect.
Encouragingly, UNICEF is intensifying efforts to vaccinate 1.5 million children against polio in Jigawa State. Although Nigeria was declared polio-free in August 2020, this campaign aims to stamp out lingering traces of the virus by prodding parents and community stakeholders to act without delay.
Central to this push is UNICEF's recent mass-mobilisation dialogue with journalists and youth social media influencers, an initiative designed to amplify accurate information, counter myths, and drive uptake. It forms part of a broader nationwide campaign targeting 42 million children across 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The scale is daunting, and so is the cost. Immunisation programmes are expensive, even if services are offered free at government health facilities. In reality, the system leans heavily on donor funding and state resources to meet logistics and operational demands.
A deeper structural flaw compounds the challenge: Nigeria produces no human vaccines locally. The only vaccines made in-country are veterinary, produced by the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, Plateau State.
For human vaccines, Nigeria depends almost entirely on external partners such as UNICEF and WHO. This dependency is untenable and must be decisively addressed.
History shows it can be different. The Federal Vaccine Production Laboratory in Yaba, Lagos, once produced vaccines until 1991; today, it lies dormant. If countries like India can build robust vaccine industries, Nigeria has no excuse for lagging.
Credit is due to global partners. The Carter Centre, founded by Jimmy Carter, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have played pivotal roles in combating Guinea worm and polio in Nigeria. But external goodwill cannot substitute for domestic capacity.
Nigeria must look inward, seriously this time. Closing the gaps in infrastructure, funding and technical expertise is no longer optional. It is urgent.
Religious and community leaders also have a critical role. Too often, vaccine hesitancy hides behind faith. Such misconceptions must be confronted with patience, clarity and credible voices that can persuade families to protect their children.
Government agencies, for their part, must step up public enlightenment, taking messages to the grassroots in local languages and through trusted community channels. Awareness is as vital as access.
Universities should be at the heart of this transformation, partnering with industry to drive vaccine research and production. Yet many struggle to meet even basic operational costs, including electricity. This is a national embarrassment that demands immediate attention.
Globally, vaccine innovation is rooted in research institutions. Scientists at Oxford University were central to developing COVID-19 viral vector vaccines, later produced at scale through a partnership with AstraZeneca. In the United States, universities and public research bodies hold many foundational vaccine patents.
The mRNA breakthroughs that powered COVID-19 vaccines, for instance, trace back to the University of Pennsylvania, which has reportedly earned close to $1 billion in royalties since 2021. The model is clear: universities innovate; biotech and pharmaceutical firms refine, approve and manufacture.
Nigerian scientists must rise to this challenge. Malaria is both endemic and deadly, yet Nigeria still relies heavily on foreign solutions for vaccines and treatment. Why should a country so affected remain so dependent? Why can't it decisively curb diseases like malaria and polio within its borders?
The COVID-19 pandemic offered a harsh lesson in self-reliance. As the virus spread, nations raced to develop their own vaccines and therapies. Today, with shifting global funding priorities and reduced support from some international partners, countries are once again being forced to rethink dependence.
Every nation crafts solutions tailored to its health realities. Nigeria cannot afford complacency. The health sector demands urgency, vision and sustained investment.