Victoria Mbangwa
In a significant move to bolster epidemic and health security, Nigeria has received over one million doses of the pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Men5CV) from a Gavi-funded global stockpile, reinforcing the country’s rapid response to the ongoing cerebrospinal meningitis outbreak.
The vaccine delivery is a result of coordinated efforts between the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and UNICEF.
Authorities say this marks a major milestone in Nigeria’s broader strategy to prevent and control epidemics under the Renewed Hope Agenda led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), as of March 26, 2025, the country has recorded 807 suspected cases and 74 deaths due to cerebrospinal meningitis across 22 states, with a Case Fatality Rate of 9.2%.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, described the vaccine arrival as timely and essential in addressing both current and future outbreaks.
“Through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach, we have prioritised epidemic preparedness and rapid response as part of our broader health security agenda. We are grateful for the support of Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF in enabling this swift deployment. Together, we are not only containing today’s outbreak but also laying the foundation to eliminate meningitis and strengthen routine immunisation for the future,” He said.
The response campaign, which targets individuals aged one to 29 those most vulnerable to the disease to will initially begin in Kebbi and Sokoto states, expanding to Yobe as more doses arrive.
UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, emphasized the importance of protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases. “UNICEF is proud to support the government by ensuring rapid vaccine deployment, community engagement, and planning and implementation of the response, while working alongside Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare to strengthen immunisation efforts in Nigeria,” she said.
Dr. Walter Mulombo, WHO’s Country Representative in Nigeria, praised the collaborative approach taken in bringing the MenCV5 vaccine to Nigeria. “From research and development to delivery, the journey of the MenCV5 vaccine to Nigeria has been a collaborative effort between the Nigerian government, the WHO, Gavi, and other dedicated partners. While we address the ongoing outbreak, the MenCV5 vaccine is also critical to Nigeria’s long-term health security.“
Meningitis, particularly in its bacterial form, remains one of the most serious public health threats in sub-Saharan Africa. The arrival and deployment of Men5CV signal a proactive shift in Nigeria’s approach to disease prevention moving from reactive response to forward-looking health security.
