The Federal Government has intensified its vaccination campaign following the emergence of a new polio variant threatening Nigeria’s North West region.
Speaking to journalists after Thursday’s National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya noted that the country has made significant progress in its renewed fight against polio.
He, however, expressed concern over the persistence of a vaccine-derived variant, primarily concentrated in Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
Yahaya recalled that the National Committee on Polio Eradication, inaugurated in December 2023, has held multiple sessions to review progress and fine-tune strategies.
“Nigeria was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2020, but our fight has shifted to containing a circulating variant. As of the 33rd epidemiological week in 2024, Nigeria recorded 78 cases, which has now dropped to 42, showing a clear downward trend,” Yahaya said.
He highlighted that Kano and Katsina recorded remarkable reductions of 65% and 84% respectively, while Gombe has remained polio-free in 2025.
Sokoto, however, remains the epicentre, accounting for 13 of the 23 cases reported nationwide so far in 2025.
The governor outlined improvements in polio surveillance and vaccination coverage, noting that settlements tracked with geo-coordinate data increased from 71% in April to 78% in June, while vaccination coverage rose from 81% to 84% within the same period.
“The first round of in-between activities across 11 high-risk states reached 77% of targeted settlements, with about 2.7 million children vaccinated, representing 83% coverage,” he disclosed.
He added that beyond vaccination, integrated health services, such as nutritional supplements for pregnant women, malaria prevention kits, and maternal-child health interventions were introduced to boost community acceptance.
Yahaya announced that the second round of polio immunization will run from September 11 to 14 across 11 high-risk states, followed by a nationwide integrated campaign in October.
This nationwide rollout will target children aged 0–14 years with measles, rubella, polio, and malaria vaccines, as well as treatments for neglected tropical diseases, in a two-phase exercise designed to maximize coverage.
To ensure effective delivery, the committee has directed state deputy governors to personally chair task force meetings at least two weeks before each campaign, particularly in Kano, Kebbi, and Sokoto. Commissioners for Health and primary healthcare leaders will oversee post-campaign reviews, while local government chairmen will drive grassroots mobilization efforts.
Yahaya also appealed to security agencies to safeguard health workers, particularly in conflict-prone or hard-to-reach areas, noting that vaccination teams often face risks in volatile communities.
He emphasized the importance of timely funding, revealing that the committee has urged the Accountant General of the Federation to expedite disbursements for primary healthcare programs.
“Eradicating polio remains a national priority,” Yahaya declared. “With sustained commitment, adequate resources, and strong security backing, we can rid Nigeria of this disease once and for all.”
The governor warned that porous northern borders pose a major challenge to eradication efforts.
“Nigeria was declared wild polio-free in 2020, but what we are fighting now is a variant that spreads easily across borders,” he explained. “Communities along the Niger and Chad borders remain vulnerable, which is why we are intensifying vaccination efforts to ensure no variant whether homegrown or imported gains ground again.”
