Sania Nishtar, CEO of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi), has said that the organization’s vaccination programme in Nigeria will receive more than $500 million over the next five years to assist immunization programs in the country.
Speaking on Friday during a visit with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nishtar stated that despite dwindling global development contributions, the organization would continue to support Nigeria.
Nishtar stated that the increased financing would help vaccinate an entire generation of children, adding that Gavi has invested $2.4 billion in Nigeria over the last two decades.
She said, “In this environment where there is an overall decline in official development assistance. I have come to let you know that Gavi will continue with its support to Nigeria.”
“Over the next five years, we will be contributing over $500 million towards vaccination campaigns, which will see this partnership vaccinate an entire generation of children in this great country.”
She stated that Tinubu’s administration’s reforms have transformed Nigeria’s health sector and improved primary healthcare delivery.
She also applauded the administration for quadrupling the use of basic healthcare facilities and implementing measures that could double the statutory allocation to primary care from one to two percent.
Nishtar added that Gavi has developed a $1.2 billion African vaccine manufacturing accelerator, which stemmed in part from discussions with Tinubu during her first visit to Nigeria in 2024.
Regarding the present vaccination programme finance arrangement, she stated that Gavi currently covers 70% of vaccine expenses while Nigeria contributes 30%, defining the partnership as one of equals rather than charity.
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Backstory…
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has been one of Nigeria’s largest immunisation partners for more than two decades, providing billions of dollars in financial and technical support to improve vaccine access and strengthen routine immunisation.
Through its partnership with the Federal Government, Gavi has supported the introduction of life-saving vaccines against diseases such as pneumococcal infections, rotavirus, human papillomavirus (HPV) and yellow fever, while also playing a critical role in Nigeria’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
Despite progress in recent years, Nigeria still accounts for one of the world’s largest populations of under-immunised children, according to a UNICEF data
