Nigeria Launches One of Its Largest Ever Integrated Vaccination Campaigns
Nigeria has embarked on one of the most ambitious public health initiatives in its history, a nationwide campaign to protect over 106 million children from measles, rubella, and poliomyelitis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the drive combines multiple vaccines and essential child health services in a single coordinated effort to ensure that no child is left behind.
The campaign targets children aged 0–14 years for measles and rubella vaccines and those 0–59 months for polio. It will be implemented in two phases, with the first phase starting this week across 20 high-risk northern states and Oyo State in the southwest, while the second phase, scheduled for January 2026, will extend to the remaining southern states. Health workers will deliver services through fixed posts, temporary outreach sites, and house-to-house “sweep teams,” ensuring children in remote and underserved communities are reached.
Beyond vaccination, the campaign integrates routine immunisation with other essential child health interventions, such as treatment for neglected tropical diseases and seasonal malaria chemoprevention in high-risk areas. This holistic approach supports Nigeria’s “Primary Health Care Under One Roof” strategy and advances the Health Campaign Effectiveness agenda towards universal health coverage.
The initiative responds to ongoing outbreaks of circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) as well as persistent measles and rubella epidemics in Nigeria and across the Lake Chad Basin. To strengthen the regional response, Nigeria is coordinating efforts with Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and the Central African Republic through a cross-border action plan aimed at stopping active outbreaks by the end of 2025 and eliminating remaining risks by 2026.
Speaking at the launch, Nigeria’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Ali Pate, urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the campaign to protect their children. “As a parent myself, I know that no parent would ever refuse something that protects their child. Vaccines are safe, and they save lives,” he said. Dr. Pate added that the current campaign builds on the success of two recent “In-between Round Activities” carried out in 11 northern states between August and September 2025. Those activities reached over 3.1 million children with vaccines, provided nutrition supplements to 500,000 malnourished children, and delivered anti-malaria interventions to 150,000 children.
In preparation for this nationwide rollout, Nigeria has strengthened its health systems to ensure smooth implementation. Trainers have been deployed across states, payment systems for frontline workers have been redesigned for efficiency, and digital data systems have been upgraded to improve accuracy, accountability, and transparency. These improvements are intended to support health workers and ensure that every vaccinated child is properly recorded, reinforcing public trust in the programme.
The campaign also introduces a new combined measles-rubella vaccine to replace the measles-only vaccine. Measles is one of the most contagious and potentially fatal childhood diseases, especially among malnourished children, while rubella poses serious risks to pregnant women, potentially causing Congenital Rubella Syndrome in newborns. The combined vaccine will help protect children and mothers more effectively and streamline immunisation delivery.
Led by the Nigerian government with support from the WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Rotary International, the Gates Foundation, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, civil society groups, and traditional and religious leaders, the campaign reflects a unified effort to safeguard children’s health. Dr. Mohammed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, commended Nigeria’s approach, saying, “By uniting efforts against measles, rubella, and polio, and by working hand-in-hand with communities and partners, we are moving closer to the day when no African child suffers or dies from these preventable diseases.”
Nigeria’s integrated vaccination campaign represents more than a health intervention. It is a national commitment to protect every child, strengthen communities, and move closer to a future free from preventable diseases.
Nigeria’s integrated vaccination campaign represents more than a health intervention. It is a national commitment to protect every child, strengthen communities, and move closer to a future free from preventable diseases.