Nigeria has the highest global burden of unvaccinated children, with over two million children not receiving any routine vaccines, according to UNICEF.
At a media dialogue in Damaturu, Yobe State, UNICEF’s Health Officer, Bashir Elegbede, revealed that 24% of Nigeria’s children under one year, about 2.1 million, are classified as “zero-dose” children. The global goal is to reduce this number by 25% by 2025 and 50% by 2030.
Elegbede highlighted that zero-dose children are mostly found in conflict-affected areas, rural regions, and places with weak health systems. These children are at high risk of diseases like polio and measles, which vaccines can prevent.
In response, UNICEF has been working to increase immunisation rates, with successful vaccination campaigns in states like Yobe and Borno. In 2024, UNICEF helped vaccinate 20,000 zero-dose children in Yobe, and in Borno, 145,000 children were reached with vaccines in priority areas.
Elegbede called for continued efforts to ensure all children are vaccinated, emphasizing that vaccines are essential for public health. The Emir of Damaturu also pledged support for vaccination efforts in the state.
