The vaccine alliance commits over half a billion dollars to strengthen Nigeria’s immunisation efforts and support Africa’s vaccine manufacturing ambitions, as part of a broader initiative to enhance health systems and vaccine access.
Gavi has pledged more than $500 million to Nigeria’s immunisation efforts over the next five years, in a move that the vaccine alliance says will help protect a whole generation of children and strengthen the country’s health system. The announcement came after Gavi’s chief executive, Dr Sania Nishtar, met President Bola Tinubu in Abuja on Friday, with both sides stressing the scale of the partnership and its role in widening access to routine vaccines. According to the alliance, the money will support vaccination campaigns, primary healthcare and longer-term efforts to shore up vaccine financing.
The commitment sits within a wider push by Gavi to expand vaccine access across Africa and accelerate local manufacturing. Gavi says its African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator is a ten-year financing mechanism worth up to US$1.2 billion, designed to help manufacturers offset the high upfront costs of production and build a commercially viable vaccine base on the continent. The instrument was approved by Gavi’s board in December 2023 and launched in June 2024 after work with the African Union and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nishtar said Nigeria remains one of Gavi’s most important partners and argued that the country has made progress under Tinubu in primary healthcare, immunisation and health-financing reforms. She also said Gavi is maintaining support despite shrinking donor funding worldwide, and noted that the current vaccine procurement arrangement is split 70-30 between Gavi and Nigeria. In 2025, she said, Gavi contributed $261 million while Nigeria provided about $90 million.
The new funding is intended to support routine immunisation, keep polio eradication efforts on track, expand HPV vaccination and improve financing sustainability, while encouraging greater state participation in vaccine spending. Health Minister Prof. Ali Pate said the five-year envelope would allow better planning and broader access to life-saving vaccines for children and vulnerable groups. Tinubu, for his part, thanked Gavi for what he called its dedication to humanity and said Nigeria would continue to cooperate with the alliance.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
